Narrative:

I received a WX briefing approximately 1 hour before the flight. I updated with wsi approximately 1/2 hour before the flight. WX remained unchanged between WX briefings. WX appeared VFR. At summit of frail creek pass; I was following the road that goes over the pass when I had visual contact with the road and ground. I still had visual out the right window and knowing there was steeply-rising terrain 360 degrees around; I began a climb into the clouds; circling as I went. Being instrument current; I relied on instruments and climbed to 11500 ft MSL. I then started picking up light rime in clouds and put in direct to sun valley on the VFR GPS. After passing sun valley; I began a slow descent knowing all terrain stopped at 7500 ft MSL and broke out at 11000 ft MSL. The flight then continued VFR to boi and completion. Contributing factors were going beyond the point where we had an out and continuing flight into IMC. As the pilot flying the aircraft; I recognize and accept full responsibility for the entire event. In hindsight; I recognize my attitude was to continue the flight rather than turn around when I should have. En route and previous to the incident; the WX to the east was clearly VFR and that route could have and should have been flown with minimal time lost. As a corrective action; I will never continue into deteriorating conditions without an out of some sort; and will make my best attempt to fly towards areas of better WX; even if it is the longer route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA CONTINUES VFR INTO DETERIORATING WX.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING APPROX 1 HR BEFORE THE FLT. I UPDATED WITH WSI APPROX 1/2 HR BEFORE THE FLT. WX REMAINED UNCHANGED BTWN WX BRIEFINGS. WX APPEARED VFR. AT SUMMIT OF FRAIL CREEK PASS; I WAS FOLLOWING THE ROAD THAT GOES OVER THE PASS WHEN I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ROAD AND GND. I STILL HAD VISUAL OUT THE R WINDOW AND KNOWING THERE WAS STEEPLY-RISING TERRAIN 360 DEGS AROUND; I BEGAN A CLB INTO THE CLOUDS; CIRCLING AS I WENT. BEING INST CURRENT; I RELIED ON INSTS AND CLBED TO 11500 FT MSL. I THEN STARTED PICKING UP LIGHT RIME IN CLOUDS AND PUT IN DIRECT TO SUN VALLEY ON THE VFR GPS. AFTER PASSING SUN VALLEY; I BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT KNOWING ALL TERRAIN STOPPED AT 7500 FT MSL AND BROKE OUT AT 11000 FT MSL. THE FLT THEN CONTINUED VFR TO BOI AND COMPLETION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE GOING BEYOND THE POINT WHERE WE HAD AN OUT AND CONTINUING FLT INTO IMC. AS THE PLT FLYING THE ACFT; I RECOGNIZE AND ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT. IN HINDSIGHT; I RECOGNIZE MY ATTITUDE WAS TO CONTINUE THE FLT RATHER THAN TURN AROUND WHEN I SHOULD HAVE. ENRTE AND PREVIOUS TO THE INCIDENT; THE WX TO THE E WAS CLRLY VFR AND THAT RTE COULD HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN WITH MINIMAL TIME LOST. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION; I WILL NEVER CONTINUE INTO DETERIORATING CONDITIONS WITHOUT AN OUT OF SOME SORT; AND WILL MAKE MY BEST ATTEMPT TO FLY TOWARDS AREAS OF BETTER WX; EVEN IF IT IS THE LONGER RTE.

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.