Small aircraft receives SVFR to depart but gets caught and enters clouds.

Attributes
ACN	224158
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 260
ASRS Report	224158
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX report ATIS, 600 ft overcast 3 mi; forecast VFR north and west. From ground, I could see blue sky through thin broken layer. Requested special VFR out of control zone and flew through holds on top of broken layer, good visibility above; next layer formed 1700 MSL above; continued between layers at 11- 1200 ft AGL, good visibility between layers. Deteriorated to marginal VFR maintaining VFR (less than 1200 ft AGL, clear clouds, visibility greater than 1 mi). Approximately 20 mi west could see blue sky and upper layer breaking up. I climbed to get on top. Jinking around clouds but at one point got caught in a 'cloud canyon.' safest thing to do at that point was to continue climb straight ahead, momentarily going through a cloud. No more than a couple of seconds. Then, I was totally in clear; undercast broke up continued without further incident. I will never go special VFR/marginal VFR again -- too easy to be trapped. I was fooled by great WX looking over field which deteriorated. Although I was legal (except for punching through that 1 cloud) it was not smart; an inexperienced pilot could have followed me out and gotten into big trouble. 1 mi visibility/clear of clouds VFR may be okay legally, but should be discouraged -- especially to inexperienced pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RECEIVES SVFR TO DEPART BUT GETS CAUGHT AND ENTERS CLOUDS.

Narrative: WX RPT ATIS, 600 FT OVCST 3 MI; FORECAST VFR N AND W. FROM GND, I COULD SEE BLUE SKY THROUGH THIN BROKEN LAYER. REQUESTED SPECIAL VFR OUT OF CTL ZONE AND FLEW THROUGH HOLDS ON TOP OF BROKEN LAYER, GOOD VISIBILITY ABOVE; NEXT LAYER FORMED 1700 MSL ABOVE; CONTINUED BTWN LAYERS AT 11- 1200 FT AGL, GOOD VISIBILITY BTWN LAYERS. DETERIORATED TO MARGINAL VFR MAINTAINING VFR (LESS THAN 1200 FT AGL, CLR CLOUDS, VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 1 MI). APPROX 20 MI W COULD SEE BLUE SKY AND UPPER LAYER BREAKING UP. I CLBED TO GET ON TOP. JINKING AROUND CLOUDS BUT AT ONE POINT GOT CAUGHT IN A 'CLOUD CANYON.' SAFEST THING TO DO AT THAT POINT WAS TO CONTINUE CLB STRAIGHT AHEAD, MOMENTARILY GOING THROUGH A CLOUD. NO MORE THAN A COUPLE OF SECONDS. THEN, I WAS TOTALLY IN CLR; UNDERCAST BROKE UP CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I WILL NEVER GO SPECIAL VFR/MARGINAL VFR AGAIN -- TOO EASY TO BE TRAPPED. I WAS FOOLED BY GREAT WX LOOKING OVER FIELD WHICH DETERIORATED. ALTHOUGH I WAS LEGAL (EXCEPT FOR PUNCHING THROUGH THAT 1 CLOUD) IT WAS NOT SMART; AN INEXPERIENCED PLT COULD HAVE FOLLOWED ME OUT AND GOTTEN INTO BIG TROUBLE. 1 MI VISIBILITY/CLR OF CLOUDS VFR MAY BE OKAY LEGALLY, BUT SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED -- ESPECIALLY TO INEXPERIENCED PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.