Narrative:

I departed sna, and was vectored northwest toward torrance and climbed to 3500'. This altitude topped the scattered stratus layer. My intentions were to intercept the smo 132 degree right and proceed via the los angeles special flight rules area at 4500'. I had climbed to 4500' and was in the process of intercepting the smo 132 degree right and had turned inbound toward smo when I noticed that I was at 5000'. The stratus was rising beneath me and banked higher approximately 1 1/4 off each wing. I was trapped--couldn't climb or reverse course west/O going IFR. I continued inbound to smo and immediately called lax approach on 134.9 and advised of my situation. The controller idented me and cleared me to 8500' and on course direct vny VOR. This ended the dilemma for me. Contributing factors were: 1) WX, 2) lack of experience with special flight rules area, 3) proximity of TCA (500' above northbound route), 4) inability to determine rising layer of stratus, and 5) preoccupation of pilot intercepting a radial (smo 132 degree right).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TRYING VFR CORRIDOR TRANSITION AT LAX. ENCOUNTERED RISING CLOUD TOPS. UNABLE TO REVERSE COURSE DUE TO CLOUDS. CLIMBED INTO TCA ABOVE CORRIDOR LIMITS. CONTACTED APCH AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO 8500' DIRECT TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SNA, AND WAS VECTORED NW TOWARD TORRANCE AND CLBED TO 3500'. THIS ALT TOPPED THE SCATTERED STRATUS LAYER. MY INTENTIONS WERE TO INTERCEPT THE SMO 132 DEG R AND PROCEED VIA THE LOS ANGELES SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA AT 4500'. I HAD CLBED TO 4500' AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INTERCEPTING THE SMO 132 DEG R AND HAD TURNED INBOUND TOWARD SMO WHEN I NOTICED THAT I WAS AT 5000'. THE STRATUS WAS RISING BENEATH ME AND BANKED HIGHER APPROX 1 1/4 OFF EACH WING. I WAS TRAPPED--COULDN'T CLB OR REVERSE COURSE W/O GOING IFR. I CONTINUED INBOUND TO SMO AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED LAX APCH ON 134.9 AND ADVISED OF MY SITUATION. THE CTLR IDENTED ME AND CLRED ME TO 8500' AND ON COURSE DIRECT VNY VOR. THIS ENDED THE DILEMMA FOR ME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) WX, 2) LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA, 3) PROX OF TCA (500' ABOVE NBOUND ROUTE), 4) INABILITY TO DETERMINE RISING LAYER OF STRATUS, AND 5) PREOCCUPATION OF PLT INTERCEPTING A RADIAL (SMO 132 DEG R).

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.