Narrative:

I planned a trip from ZZZ to ZZZ1 and back (departing XC00 and returning 2 hours later). That afternoon; I ran a standard WX briefing using duats. According to the report; VFR conditions were to exist during my flight. IMC were to affect the area later; but that was well after my flight would be completed. At XA30; I obtained the current ATIS report. It read as follows: 8 mi visibility; few clouds at 2400 ft and scattered clouds at 11000 ft; temperature 22 degrees; dew point 19 degrees. After taking off; ATC authority/authorized me to proceed on course. I altered my course to avoid a few clouds while continuing my climb towards 6500 ft. A few mins later; I noticed that I had lost visual contact with the ground. I decided it was best to cancel my trip and return to ZZZ; so I leveled off at roughly 3500 ft and contacted ATC. I advised them I would not be able to continue my trip under VFR conditions and requested to return to ZZZ. ATC instructed me to turn to heading 010 degrees and begin a descent at my discretion; planning for runway xxl. I turned to the appropriate heading and began my descent. Upon doing this; I found myself in a layer of clouds. I continued my descent and current heading; expecting to clear the cloud almost immediately (since only a few clouds were being reported). ATC instructed me to enter a right base for runway xxl. ATC also told me that the airport was 5 mi at my 3 O'clock position. I turned to heading 090 degrees and continued to descend; but was still in the cloud layer and remained this way until roughly 1000 ft AGL. At this altitude; I came out of the clouds; spotted the airport and made a normal landing. Afterwards; I realized the appropriate action would have been to request a heading of 090 degrees at 3500 ft immediately; instead of complying with ATC's request for heading 010 degrees. If I had done that; I could have overflown the field and to the east of the airport; made a descent without the clouds being any factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT DEPARTED VFR; BUT ENCOUNTERED IMC. HE ADVISED ATC AND RETURNED TO LAND.

Narrative: I PLANNED A TRIP FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 AND BACK (DEPARTING XC00 AND RETURNING 2 HRS LATER). THAT AFTERNOON; I RAN A STANDARD WX BRIEFING USING DUATS. ACCORDING TO THE RPT; VFR CONDITIONS WERE TO EXIST DURING MY FLT. IMC WERE TO AFFECT THE AREA LATER; BUT THAT WAS WELL AFTER MY FLT WOULD BE COMPLETED. AT XA30; I OBTAINED THE CURRENT ATIS RPT. IT READ AS FOLLOWS: 8 MI VISIBILITY; FEW CLOUDS AT 2400 FT AND SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 11000 FT; TEMP 22 DEGS; DEW POINT 19 DEGS. AFTER TAKING OFF; ATC AUTH ME TO PROCEED ON COURSE. I ALTERED MY COURSE TO AVOID A FEW CLOUDS WHILE CONTINUING MY CLB TOWARDS 6500 FT. A FEW MINS LATER; I NOTICED THAT I HAD LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND. I DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO CANCEL MY TRIP AND RETURN TO ZZZ; SO I LEVELED OFF AT ROUGHLY 3500 FT AND CONTACTED ATC. I ADVISED THEM I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE MY TRIP UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND REQUESTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN TO HDG 010 DEGS AND BEGIN A DSCNT AT MY DISCRETION; PLANNING FOR RWY XXL. I TURNED TO THE APPROPRIATE HDG AND BEGAN MY DSCNT. UPON DOING THIS; I FOUND MYSELF IN A LAYER OF CLOUDS. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT AND CURRENT HDG; EXPECTING TO CLR THE CLOUD ALMOST IMMEDIATELY (SINCE ONLY A FEW CLOUDS WERE BEING RPTED). ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A R BASE FOR RWY XXL. ATC ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE ARPT WAS 5 MI AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS. I TURNED TO HDG 090 DEGS AND CONTINUED TO DSND; BUT WAS STILL IN THE CLOUD LAYER AND REMAINED THIS WAY UNTIL ROUGHLY 1000 FT AGL. AT THIS ALT; I CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS; SPOTTED THE ARPT AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. AFTERWARDS; I REALIZED THE APPROPRIATE ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REQUEST A HDG OF 090 DEGS AT 3500 FT IMMEDIATELY; INSTEAD OF COMPLYING WITH ATC'S REQUEST FOR HDG 010 DEGS. IF I HAD DONE THAT; I COULD HAVE OVERFLOWN THE FIELD AND TO THE E OF THE ARPT; MADE A DSCNT WITHOUT THE CLOUDS BEING ANY FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.