A traffic watch small aircraft was involved with some WX and ground clearance.

Attributes
ACN	253044
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : hvn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 810 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	253044
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying traffic watch sebound along highway 80, there was a scattered layer that began at hilltop mall at 1500 ft AGL. I was flying at 1000 ft and talking to bay approach for advisories. I seemed to be concentrating on keeping cloud separation when bay asked what altitude I was at. At this time I noticed that I had allowed my altitude to drop to 800 ft and I advised him of my altitude. Although over an industrial area about to cross the shoreline over the bay, I feel that 1000 ft was the minimum altitude I should have been at. Also, after climbing back to 1000 ft my cloud clearance was inadequate. The layer of cloud sloped down at this end to around 1100 ft AGL. This whole incident lasted only 30 seconds, but left a lasting impression. My lack of experience doing traffic watch (or any flying) VFR in marginal conditions led to poor decision making. The bank of clouds was only about 1 mi wide and 30 ft thick. I should have gotten a clearance IFR to VFR on top as soon as I noticed the downward slope of the cloud bank. I could have just zipped over the top of the cloud bank. I would not have been in conflict with terrain clearance requirements or cloud clearance requirements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TFC WATCH SMA WAS INVOLVED WITH SOME WX AND GND CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING TFC WATCH SEBOUND ALONG HWY 80, THERE WAS A SCATTERED LAYER THAT BEGAN AT HILLTOP MALL AT 1500 FT AGL. I WAS FLYING AT 1000 FT AND TALKING TO BAY APCH FOR ADVISORIES. I SEEMED TO BE CONCENTRATING ON KEEPING CLOUD SEPARATION WHEN BAY ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS AT. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED THAT I HAD ALLOWED MY ALT TO DROP TO 800 FT AND I ADVISED HIM OF MY ALT. ALTHOUGH OVER AN INDUSTRIAL AREA ABOUT TO CROSS THE SHORELINE OVER THE BAY, I FEEL THAT 1000 FT WAS THE MINIMUM ALT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT. ALSO, AFTER CLBING BACK TO 1000 FT MY CLOUD CLRNC WAS INADEQUATE. THE LAYER OF CLOUD SLOPED DOWN AT THIS END TO AROUND 1100 FT AGL. THIS WHOLE INCIDENT LASTED ONLY 30 SECONDS, BUT LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION. MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE DOING TFC WATCH (OR ANY FLYING) VFR IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS LED TO POOR DECISION MAKING. THE BANK OF CLOUDS WAS ONLY ABOUT 1 MI WIDE AND 30 FT THICK. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A CLRNC IFR TO VFR ON TOP AS SOON AS I NOTICED THE DOWNWARD SLOPE OF THE CLOUD BANK. I COULD HAVE JUST ZIPPED OVER THE TOP OF THE CLOUD BANK. I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN CONFLICT WITH TERRAIN CLRNC REQUIREMENTS OR CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS.

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.