Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight plan for ZZZ2 with the intent of overflying ZZZ and then proceeding down to ZZZ2. I obtained the ATIS for ZZZ2 which was clear. Approach handed me off to ZZZ and advised me that the controller might want to 'take me down the east side' to ZZZ2. I could see a layer of low clouds over ZZZ apparently clear both below and above. ZZZ told me to continue towards the airport and to maintain VFR. The cloud layer continued to drop as I approached the airport staying below the class B airspace and the cloud layer. Eventually I decided that I could not maintain a safe altitude above the city and remain VFR below the clouds. At which point I informed the controller that I would need to make a 180 degree turn to remain VFR. He said something about poor communications. I made the 180 degree turn in VFR conditions and he re-established radio contact and asked for my intentions. I told him that I wanted to get an IFR clearance to ZZZ2. He handed me back off to approach. Approach asked whether I could climb to 4000 ft wbound. I said yes; began the climb and was given a transponder code; altitude (4000 ft) and heading (270 degrees). The flight proceeded uneventfully from that point on to the landing at ZZZ2. I had obtained a thorough preflight briefing and the ATIS at ZZZ2; I did not obtain the ATIS for ZZZ. I should have anticipated the possibility of IMC over ZZZ on the way to ZZZ2 and planned to fly around. The ZZZ controller could have informed me of the conditions at the time of the handoff; given that VFR flight was not possible and avoided the need for my non-standard maneuver. Alternately; ATC could have vectored me through the class B airspace VFR. As it was; there was no known loss of separation; I maintained VFR conditions until on the IFR clearance and everything went well. However; had I not been capable of IFR flight; my options would have been severely limited. I do not know why the controller had trouble maintaining communications but that occurred at a very inopportune moment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE AS WELL COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTY PROMPTS PLT TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONDITIONS WHILE ARRANGING AN IFR CLRNC TO PROCEED.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN FOR ZZZ2 WITH THE INTENT OF OVERFLYING ZZZ AND THEN PROCEEDING DOWN TO ZZZ2. I OBTAINED THE ATIS FOR ZZZ2 WHICH WAS CLR. APCH HANDED ME OFF TO ZZZ AND ADVISED ME THAT THE CTLR MIGHT WANT TO 'TAKE ME DOWN THE E SIDE' TO ZZZ2. I COULD SEE A LAYER OF LOW CLOUDS OVER ZZZ APPARENTLY CLR BOTH BELOW AND ABOVE. ZZZ TOLD ME TO CONTINUE TOWARDS THE ARPT AND TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE CLOUD LAYER CONTINUED TO DROP AS I APCHED THE ARPT STAYING BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND THE CLOUD LAYER. EVENTUALLY I DECIDED THAT I COULD NOT MAINTAIN A SAFE ALT ABOVE THE CITY AND REMAIN VFR BELOW THE CLOUDS. AT WHICH POINT I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WOULD NEED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN TO REMAIN VFR. HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT POOR COMS. I MADE THE 180 DEG TURN IN VFR CONDITIONS AND HE RE-ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT AND ASKED FOR MY INTENTIONS. I TOLD HIM THAT I WANTED TO GET AN IFR CLRNC TO ZZZ2. HE HANDED ME BACK OFF TO APCH. APCH ASKED WHETHER I COULD CLB TO 4000 FT WBOUND. I SAID YES; BEGAN THE CLB AND WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE; ALT (4000 FT) AND HDG (270 DEGS). THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY FROM THAT POINT ON TO THE LNDG AT ZZZ2. I HAD OBTAINED A THOROUGH PREFLT BRIEFING AND THE ATIS AT ZZZ2; I DID NOT OBTAIN THE ATIS FOR ZZZ. I SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE POSSIBILITY OF IMC OVER ZZZ ON THE WAY TO ZZZ2 AND PLANNED TO FLY AROUND. THE ZZZ CTLR COULD HAVE INFORMED ME OF THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE HANDOFF; GIVEN THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND AVOIDED THE NEED FOR MY NON-STANDARD MANEUVER. ALTERNATELY; ATC COULD HAVE VECTORED ME THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE VFR. AS IT WAS; THERE WAS NO KNOWN LOSS OF SEPARATION; I MAINTAINED VFR CONDITIONS UNTIL ON THE IFR CLRNC AND EVERYTHING WENT WELL. HOWEVER; HAD I NOT BEEN CAPABLE OF IFR FLT; MY OPTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY LIMITED. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE CTLR HAD TROUBLE MAINTAINING COMS BUT THAT OCCURRED AT A VERY INOPPORTUNE MOMENT.

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.