Narrative:

Before beginning my flight to the wichita area, I had obtained a standard WX brief, as well as a breakdown of WX from the computer in the FBO. Although I had explained that I was not planning on stopping at spw, the FSS briefer only gave the briefing up to spw. After he had finished, I checked the WX on the computer from spw to the wichita area. The forecast had indicated scattered and broken clouds in the area. As I flew down to wichita, I encountered 2 layers of clouds, one scattered, which was below me, and a broken layer which was above me. As I continued south, the layer above me began to dissipate, and the layer below me began to thicken. After some time, I had noticed that the clouds had become an overcast layer, and I was in VMC above the overcast. Although I was concerned about getting down, I was confident in the forecast I should see some openings so I could get down. About 100 mi north of wichita, I suddenly realized that I was not seeing any broken or scattered clouds anywhere, and immediately contacted FSS. I explained my situation and asked where the nearest scattered or broken cloud cover was located. The briefer started searching and then handed me over to kansas city approach and gave me a squawk code. I then contacted approach and explained the situation. My request was simply to see where this broken to scattered area of cloud cover was that I had expected in the WX briefing before I departed? The ATC controller did find several areas that were clear, however, I was unsure if I would be able to safely reach the location without facing fuel starvation. At this point I had asked the controller if it would be possible to find an airport with a high ceiling where I could conduct an instrument approach to landing. My position was quite close to top, so ATC then vectored me to the localizer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE23 PLT ENCOUNTERS UNFORECAST WX ENRTE TO THE WICHITA AREA, RECEIVES ATC ASSIST, AND LANDS AT TOP.

Narrative: BEFORE BEGINNING MY FLT TO THE WICHITA AREA, I HAD OBTAINED A STANDARD WX BRIEF, AS WELL AS A BREAKDOWN OF WX FROM THE COMPUTER IN THE FBO. ALTHOUGH I HAD EXPLAINED THAT I WAS NOT PLANNING ON STOPPING AT SPW, THE FSS BRIEFER ONLY GAVE THE BRIEFING UP TO SPW. AFTER HE HAD FINISHED, I CHKED THE WX ON THE COMPUTER FROM SPW TO THE WICHITA AREA. THE FORECAST HAD INDICATED SCATTERED AND BROKEN CLOUDS IN THE AREA. AS I FLEW DOWN TO WICHITA, I ENCOUNTERED 2 LAYERS OF CLOUDS, ONE SCATTERED, WHICH WAS BELOW ME, AND A BROKEN LAYER WHICH WAS ABOVE ME. AS I CONTINUED S, THE LAYER ABOVE ME BEGAN TO DISSIPATE, AND THE LAYER BELOW ME BEGAN TO THICKEN. AFTER SOME TIME, I HAD NOTICED THAT THE CLOUDS HAD BECOME AN OVCST LAYER, AND I WAS IN VMC ABOVE THE OVCST. ALTHOUGH I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING DOWN, I WAS CONFIDENT IN THE FORECAST I SHOULD SEE SOME OPENINGS SO I COULD GET DOWN. ABOUT 100 MI N OF WICHITA, I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT SEEING ANY BROKEN OR SCATTERED CLOUDS ANYWHERE, AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED FSS. I EXPLAINED MY SIT AND ASKED WHERE THE NEAREST SCATTERED OR BROKEN CLOUD COVER WAS LOCATED. THE BRIEFER STARTED SEARCHING AND THEN HANDED ME OVER TO KANSAS CITY APCH AND GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE. I THEN CONTACTED APCH AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. MY REQUEST WAS SIMPLY TO SEE WHERE THIS BROKEN TO SCATTERED AREA OF CLOUD COVER WAS THAT I HAD EXPECTED IN THE WX BRIEFING BEFORE I DEPARTED? THE ATC CTLR DID FIND SEVERAL AREAS THAT WERE CLR, HOWEVER, I WAS UNSURE IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO SAFELY REACH THE LOCATION WITHOUT FACING FUEL STARVATION. AT THIS POINT I HAD ASKED THE CTLR IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO FIND AN ARPT WITH A HIGH CEILING WHERE I COULD CONDUCT AN INST APCH TO LNDG. MY POS WAS QUITE CLOSE TO TOP, SO ATC THEN VECTORED ME TO THE LOC.

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.