Narrative:

After flying non stop for more than 5 hours in cavu conditions during a VFR flight; I found myself over abc at 15;500 ft where the clouds were increasing and it appeared overcast further in the direction of my travel. Contacted flight watch and asked about cloud coverage in my direction of travel and over my destination. Flight watch reported that the destination airport was reporting 5;000 scattered and 7;000 scattered. Points west and northwest of my destination were overcast at various altitudes. Flight watch also said that the cloud layer was moving to the southeast and that I might want to consider going underneath now. They also said an airmet was just issued for icing at 14;000 in the area (I was at 15;500 and my OAT gage indicated 41 degrees at the time). With a groundspeed of 220 KTS; 16 gallons of fuel (3hrs at current burn rate) and 38 minutes to my destination I figured I could beat the clouds to my destination and easily get below the scattered layers. Nevertheless I wanted to have a nearby alternative in case I didn't beat the clouds so I asked flight watch for cloud conditions at two other airports. I was told of scattered to broken conditions there too; which I took as an indication of alternatives to get down there if necessary. As I continued to my destination above the clouds I found that they were rising and so I also climbed slowly. Approximately 50 miles from the original destination I could pick up the AWOS which reported 5;000 scattered; 7;000 scattered and visibility of 10 miles in addition to the usual other info. I continued to listen and as I got closer the report changed to 5;000 scattered; 7;000 broken and then to 5;000 broken; 7;000 broken when I was directly over it at approximately 16;500. Beneath me at that altitude was a solid overcast in all directions. Again I called flight watch to ask about current conditions at the other two airports and recall a report of either scattered or broken. So I continued east and found that I needed to climb further both to stay sufficiently above the clouds and to climb to a proper altitude for an easterly heading. As I was approaching my first choice alternate; my focus was almost entirely on maintaining VFR; cloud clearance and finding a break in the clouds. This caused me to inadvertently climb above 18;000 feet and into the class a airspace. Upon realizing this and that there were no breaks anywhere to be found; I contacted center. Center gave me a squawk code and gave instructions to turn to a heading of 300 and descend to 17;500. It was clear that following these instructions would put me into the clouds and I told them that. They asked if I was IFR rated and I told them that I was but not current. They then asked me to state intentions. All things considered (distance back to ohio where there were cloud breaks; the time it would have taken to go back to ohio into a strong headwind; the fuel on board at that point; the amount of time I had been flying and the resulting fatigue; the higher clouds in the vicinity that would have made it difficult to get to a VFR altitude and maintain VFR in the vicinity; not having seen any cloud breaks in any direction since leaving eastern ohio); I decided to declare an emergency. I told center that I would like to head to my first alternate choice and that I would begin a descent and likely enter the clouds shortly. Prior to entering the clouds I turned the wing leveler on; checked the OAT (33 F); pulled the carb heat; and established a level 500 fpm descent. Shortly thereafter I was in the clouds. During my descent I did pick up thin layers of clear ice a couple of times that dissipated as I descended further. Center had me turn toward the airport where they thought I would get out of the clouds sooner. The clouds started breaking at about 8;500 and I was clear at 8;000 directly over the airport. Center gave me a number to call when I was on the ground; which I did after landing without anyfurther problems. Here are my key lessons learned: - automated weather reports are only good up to 12;000 ft and perhaps as a practical matter not even that high. They are also less than perfect in any event. - I believed that flight watch was giving me more comprehensive information than just what the automated reports said. One thing that I never heard from flight watch that I thought they would provide is something like satellite imagery and/or echo tops indicate a solid overcast layer at [13;000] over the entire region. Had I heard something like that; I absolutely would have gone under the clouds. Or had they said the airport reports where automated and good to a maximum of 12;000 feet and we don't have detailed information to provide above that altitude; I would have also gone under the clouds. I do not blame flight watch; and only point this out; as it is something they might consider adding to reports to VFR pilots who are at higher altitudes to help with decision-making. Temperature inversions can happen at all altitudes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Experimental pilot climbs into Class A Airspace without a clearance as a result of weather.

Narrative: After flying non stop for more than 5 hours in CAVU conditions during a VFR flight; I found myself over ABC at 15;500 FT where the clouds were increasing and it appeared overcast further in the direction of my travel. Contacted flight watch and asked about cloud coverage in my direction of travel and over my destination. Flight watch reported that the destination airport was reporting 5;000 scattered and 7;000 scattered. Points west and northwest of my destination were overcast at various altitudes. Flight watch also said that the cloud layer was moving to the southeast and that I might want to consider going underneath now. They also said an AIRMET was just issued for icing at 14;000 in the area (I was at 15;500 and my OAT gage indicated 41 degrees at the time). With a groundspeed of 220 KTS; 16 gallons of fuel (3hrs at current burn rate) and 38 minutes to my destination I figured I could beat the clouds to my destination and easily get below the scattered layers. Nevertheless I wanted to have a nearby alternative in case I didn't beat the clouds so I asked flight watch for cloud conditions at two other airports. I was told of scattered to broken conditions there too; which I took as an indication of alternatives to get down there if necessary. As I continued to my destination above the clouds I found that they were rising and so I also climbed slowly. Approximately 50 miles from the original destination I could pick up the AWOS which reported 5;000 scattered; 7;000 scattered and visibility of 10 miles in addition to the usual other info. I continued to listen and as I got closer the report changed to 5;000 scattered; 7;000 broken and then to 5;000 broken; 7;000 broken when I was directly over it at approximately 16;500. Beneath me at that altitude was a solid overcast in all directions. Again I called flight watch to ask about current conditions at the other two airports and recall a report of either scattered or broken. So I continued east and found that I needed to climb further both to stay sufficiently above the clouds and to climb to a proper altitude for an easterly heading. As I was approaching my first choice alternate; my focus was almost entirely on maintaining VFR; cloud clearance and finding a break in the clouds. This caused me to inadvertently climb above 18;000 feet and into the Class A airspace. Upon realizing this and that there were no breaks anywhere to be found; I contacted Center. Center gave me a squawk code and gave instructions to turn to a heading of 300 and descend to 17;500. It was clear that following these instructions would put me into the clouds and I told them that. They asked if I was IFR rated and I told them that I was but not current. They then asked me to state intentions. All things considered (distance back to Ohio where there were cloud breaks; the time it would have taken to go back to Ohio into a strong headwind; the fuel on board at that point; the amount of time I had been flying and the resulting fatigue; the higher clouds in the vicinity that would have made it difficult to get to a VFR altitude and maintain VFR in the vicinity; not having seen any cloud breaks in any direction since leaving eastern Ohio); I decided to declare an emergency. I told Center that I would like to head to my first alternate choice and that I would begin a descent and likely enter the clouds shortly. Prior to entering the clouds I turned the wing leveler on; checked the OAT (33 F); pulled the carb heat; and established a level 500 fpm descent. Shortly thereafter I was in the clouds. During my descent I did pick up thin layers of clear ice a couple of times that dissipated as I descended further. Center had me turn toward the airport where they thought I would get out of the clouds sooner. The clouds started breaking at about 8;500 and I was clear at 8;000 directly over the airport. Center gave me a number to call when I was on the ground; which I did after landing without anyfurther problems. Here are my key lessons learned: - Automated weather reports are only good up to 12;000 FT and perhaps as a practical matter not even that high. They are also less than perfect in any event. - I believed that flight watch was giving me more comprehensive information than just what the automated reports said. One thing that I never heard from Flight Watch that I thought they would provide is something like satellite imagery and/or echo tops indicate a solid overcast layer at [13;000] over the entire region. Had I heard something like that; I absolutely would have gone under the clouds. Or had they said the airport reports where automated and good to a maximum of 12;000 feet and we don't have detailed information to provide above that altitude; I would have also gone under the clouds. I do not blame flight watch; and only point this out; as it is something they might consider adding to reports to VFR pilots who are at higher altitudes to help with decision-making. Temperature inversions can happen at all altitudes.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.