Inexperienced private pilot encounters IMC conditions during pattern departure at smo.

Attributes
ACN	748761
Time
Date	200708
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : smo.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 220 flight time type : 147
ASRS Report	748761
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Encountered clouds upon takeoff at smo. The ATIS and tower did not state or anticipate how quickly the clouds moved from the north (over the water) to north of the shoreline at the golf course directly upwind on my climb out. The clouds were upon me before I reached the recommended location for my crosswind turn; at which I contacted the tower for assistance to vector me right crosswind and then downwind to the north to be clear of the clouds. In the future I will be more observant and aware of how quickly the clouds move to the north and if by chance on takeoff I view clouds ahead of me on the upwind I will contact the tower to request and initiate my crosswind prior to encountering the clouds!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC CONDITIONS DURING PATTERN DEPARTURE AT SMO.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS UPON TKOF AT SMO. THE ATIS AND TWR DID NOT STATE OR ANTICIPATE HOW QUICKLY THE CLOUDS MOVED FROM THE N (OVER THE WATER) TO N OF THE SHORELINE AT THE GOLF COURSE DIRECTLY UPWIND ON MY CLBOUT. THE CLOUDS WERE UPON ME BEFORE I REACHED THE RECOMMENDED LOCATION FOR MY XWIND TURN; AT WHICH I CONTACTED THE TWR FOR ASSISTANCE TO VECTOR ME R XWIND AND THEN DOWNWIND TO THE N TO BE CLR OF THE CLOUDS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE OBSERVANT AND AWARE OF HOW QUICKLY THE CLOUDS MOVE TO THE N AND IF BY CHANCE ON TKOF I VIEW CLOUDS AHEAD OF ME ON THE UPWIND I WILL CONTACT THE TWR TO REQUEST AND INITIATE MY XWIND PRIOR TO ENCOUNTERING THE CLOUDS!

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.