Non instrument rated pilot encounters IMC and requests clearance to 'on-top.'

Attributes
ACN	96780
Time
Date	198810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme tracon : lit
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 185 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	96780
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Thurs at XA00 am I flew from flippin, ar, to lit on a business trip without incident. I filed a VFR flight plan, as I always do. Thurs at XH00, same day, I began return flight from lit to flippin. I again received FSS briefing and filed my VFR flight plan. After taking off from little rock adams field I was handed off to departure control. As I was climbing to cruise altitude I encountered IFR conditions. Due to the terrain elevation and towers I requested clearance on top at 5500 ft. I had prior knowledge of on top altitude. The departure controller asked me if I was declaring an emergency and I replied 'no.' he then gave me clearance on top at 6000 ft and instructed me to contact ZME for continued control. I did so and was released at flippin VOR when I descended and returned to VFR conditions at 3200 ft. I was able to make VFR landing at flippin without incident. I am a VFR pilot and a IFR student. It has been clearly pointed out to me that I exceeded my qualifications and I have been questioned about this and been made very much aware of the error in my judgement. One factor that led me astray is listening and believing hangar talk in reference to modified VFR clearance if one gets in a situation where he needs to get on top. It has been pointed out that this is a violation of the rules. I report this to you hoping to confess my mistake in judgement and to prevent this misunderstanding from continuing with other VFR pilots via a safety bulletin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC AND REQUESTS CLRNC TO 'ON-TOP.'

Narrative: THURS AT XA00 AM I FLEW FROM FLIPPIN, AR, TO LIT ON A BUSINESS TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN, AS I ALWAYS DO. THURS AT XH00, SAME DAY, I BEGAN RETURN FLT FROM LIT TO FLIPPIN. I AGAIN RECEIVED FSS BRIEFING AND FILED MY VFR FLT PLAN. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM LITTLE ROCK ADAMS FIELD I WAS HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL. AS I WAS CLBING TO CRUISE ALT I ENCOUNTERED IFR CONDITIONS. DUE TO THE TERRAIN ELEVATION AND TWRS I REQUESTED CLRNC ON TOP AT 5500 FT. I HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ON TOP ALT. THE DEP CTLR ASKED ME IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I REPLIED 'NO.' HE THEN GAVE ME CLRNC ON TOP AT 6000 FT AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT ZME FOR CONTINUED CTL. I DID SO AND WAS RELEASED AT FLIPPIN VOR WHEN I DSNDED AND RETURNED TO VFR CONDITIONS AT 3200 FT. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE VFR LNDG AT FLIPPIN WITHOUT INCIDENT. I AM A VFR PLT AND A IFR STUDENT. IT HAS BEEN CLEARLY POINTED OUT TO ME THAT I EXCEEDED MY QUALIFICATIONS AND I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS AND BEEN MADE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE ERROR IN MY JUDGEMENT. ONE FACTOR THAT LED ME ASTRAY IS LISTENING AND BELIEVING HANGAR TALK IN REF TO MODIFIED VFR CLRNC IF ONE GETS IN A SIT WHERE HE NEEDS TO GET ON TOP. IT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT THAT THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE RULES. I RPT THIS TO YOU HOPING TO CONFESS MY MISTAKE IN JUDGEMENT AND TO PREVENT THIS MISUNDERSTANDING FROM CONTINUING WITH OTHER VFR PLTS VIA A SAFETY BULLETIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.