Narrative:

I chose to fly VFR because I don't have onboard WX, and I don't trust ATC to keep me clear of storms. Ceilings were 2000 ft AGL, scattered to broken, when I departed. It was also quite hazy. It cleared as I flew west, so I chose to climb above the haze. I started at 5500 ft. As I flew west, clouds became scattered with tops about my level, so I chose to climb to 7500 ft. I found myself above a broken layer with good visibility. There was a higher, scattered layer above. I could see higher clouds in front of me, so I told ATC I'd be climbing to 9500 ft. I checked ASOS at moberly, where they were calling lightning quadrants. As I climbed, I started picking up light rain and turbulence. It became necessary to circumnav some build-ups. As I climbed through 8500 ft, I found myself IMC. I confessed my situation to ATC and asked for an IFR clearance to 9000 ft. I also asked if they saw any WX, to which they replied they didn't see anything. I was cleared to 9000 ft, direct pia. As the WX intensified, I asked for, and received, a vector to fly north. As I exited the WX, ATC told me they were now painting something and I would be out of it in about 3 mi. In hindsight, I should have landed when the WX started looking bad and I still had the opportunity to do this VFR. I know you cannot out climb a storm in a C172. I will stick with my policy to fly VFR (and not depend on ATC) when there are thunderstorms.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATP FLYING A C172 FLEW VFR IN IMC WHILE TRYING TO OUT CLB A TSTM IN ZKC'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I CHOSE TO FLY VFR BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ONBOARD WX, AND I DON'T TRUST ATC TO KEEP ME CLR OF STORMS. CEILINGS WERE 2000 FT AGL, SCATTERED TO BROKEN, WHEN I DEPARTED. IT WAS ALSO QUITE HAZY. IT CLRED AS I FLEW W, SO I CHOSE TO CLB ABOVE THE HAZE. I STARTED AT 5500 FT. AS I FLEW W, CLOUDS BECAME SCATTERED WITH TOPS ABOUT MY LEVEL, SO I CHOSE TO CLB TO 7500 FT. I FOUND MYSELF ABOVE A BROKEN LAYER WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. THERE WAS A HIGHER, SCATTERED LAYER ABOVE. I COULD SEE HIGHER CLOUDS IN FRONT OF ME, SO I TOLD ATC I'D BE CLBING TO 9500 FT. I CHKED ASOS AT MOBERLY, WHERE THEY WERE CALLING LIGHTNING QUADRANTS. AS I CLBED, I STARTED PICKING UP LIGHT RAIN AND TURB. IT BECAME NECESSARY TO CIRCUMNAV SOME BUILD-UPS. AS I CLBED THROUGH 8500 FT, I FOUND MYSELF IMC. I CONFESSED MY SIT TO ATC AND ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO 9000 FT. I ALSO ASKED IF THEY SAW ANY WX, TO WHICH THEY REPLIED THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I WAS CLRED TO 9000 FT, DIRECT PIA. AS THE WX INTENSIFIED, I ASKED FOR, AND RECEIVED, A VECTOR TO FLY N. AS I EXITED THE WX, ATC TOLD ME THEY WERE NOW PAINTING SOMETHING AND I WOULD BE OUT OF IT IN ABOUT 3 MI. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE LANDED WHEN THE WX STARTED LOOKING BAD AND I STILL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS VFR. I KNOW YOU CANNOT OUT CLIMB A STORM IN A C172. I WILL STICK WITH MY POLICY TO FLY VFR (AND NOT DEPEND ON ATC) WHEN THERE ARE TSTMS.

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.