Narrative:

I checked WX at about XX00. My flight was to be from ccr to vcb to get fuel, and then from vcb to wvi with an ETA of about XA30. The mry taf called for visibility greater than 6 mi, scattered 030, broken 150 by XB00 local. As I approached southeast san jose, I could see cloud layers covering the area, it was worse than forecast. I tuned the wvi ASOS approximately 1400 ft overcast, 5 mi. I decided to see if I could make it under the overcast, crossing a ridge. At about sjc 135 degrees and 25 NM, I decided to turn back. In the turn, I inadvertently entered the clouds. I had to make a quick decision: descend and risk hitting something or climb and ask approach for help. I decided to climb. I contacted approach, and before the controller had a chance to do much more than give me a squawk, I got through the layer into VFR conditions between layers. I was in IMC for about 3-4 mins heading east. I proceeded eastbound for about 10 mins between layers and found a hole through which I could descend. I then followed highway 5 northbound at about 600 ft AGL under the overcast until conditions improved near tcy and I could climb. The main cause of the problem was my decision to proceed under the overcast. I normally do not like to do that, but I was scheduled to meet someone in wvi. My second error, the major error, was deciding to turn back just a little too late over the ridge. I probably could have made it through the 'notch' in the ridge, but I couldn't see enough through it. As I turned, my turn radius took me over rising terrain. I climbed just a little, and I started entering the overcast.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LANCAIR PLT ENTERS IFR CONDITIONS WHILE VFR.

Narrative: I CHKED WX AT ABOUT XX00. MY FLT WAS TO BE FROM CCR TO VCB TO GET FUEL, AND THEN FROM VCB TO WVI WITH AN ETA OF ABOUT XA30. THE MRY TAF CALLED FOR VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 6 MI, SCATTERED 030, BROKEN 150 BY XB00 LCL. AS I APCHED SE SAN JOSE, I COULD SEE CLOUD LAYERS COVERING THE AREA, IT WAS WORSE THAN FORECAST. I TUNED THE WVI ASOS APPROX 1400 FT OVCST, 5 MI. I DECIDED TO SEE IF I COULD MAKE IT UNDER THE OVCST, XING A RIDGE. AT ABOUT SJC 135 DEGS AND 25 NM, I DECIDED TO TURN BACK. IN THE TURN, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE CLOUDS. I HAD TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION: DSND AND RISK HITTING SOMETHING OR CLB AND ASK APCH FOR HELP. I DECIDED TO CLB. I CONTACTED APCH, AND BEFORE THE CTLR HAD A CHANCE TO DO MUCH MORE THAN GIVE ME A SQUAWK, I GOT THROUGH THE LAYER INTO VFR CONDITIONS BTWN LAYERS. I WAS IN IMC FOR ABOUT 3-4 MINS HEADING E. I PROCEEDED EBOUND FOR ABOUT 10 MINS BTWN LAYERS AND FOUND A HOLE THROUGH WHICH I COULD DSND. I THEN FOLLOWED HWY 5 NBOUND AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL UNDER THE OVCST UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVED NEAR TCY AND I COULD CLB. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS MY DECISION TO PROCEED UNDER THE OVCST. I NORMALLY DO NOT LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT I WAS SCHEDULED TO MEET SOMEONE IN WVI. MY SECOND ERROR, THE MAJOR ERROR, WAS DECIDING TO TURN BACK JUST A LITTLE TOO LATE OVER THE RIDGE. I PROBABLY COULD HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE 'NOTCH' IN THE RIDGE, BUT I COULDN'T SEE ENOUGH THROUGH IT. AS I TURNED, MY TURN RADIUS TOOK ME OVER RISING TERRAIN. I CLBED JUST A LITTLE, AND I STARTED ENTERING THE OVCST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.