Private pilot on a night operation cross country flight goes IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	271003
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lnk
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lnk
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : lnk
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 125
ASRS Report	271003
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter other 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:

I was flying from grand island, northeast, to omaha, northeast on a victor airway, 20 mi northwest of lincoln, northeast, when I noticed I was above some scattered clouds. Looking ahead I noticed some more clouds. So I called flight watch and received a briefing on en route WX. I decided to descend through to a lower altitude. During my descent I inadvertently entered a cloud at 5000 ft MSL. Knowing from my briefing where the bases of the clouds were, I continued my descent and broke through at 3800 ft MSL. In order to prevent this from happening again, I intend to receive a better preflight briefing, and to use flight watch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ON A NIGHT OP XCOUNTRY FLT GOES IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM GRAND ISLAND, NE, TO OMAHA, NE ON A VICTOR AIRWAY, 20 MI NW OF LINCOLN, NE, WHEN I NOTICED I WAS ABOVE SOME SCATTERED CLOUDS. LOOKING AHEAD I NOTICED SOME MORE CLOUDS. SO I CALLED FLT WATCH AND RECEIVED A BRIEFING ON ENRTE WX. I DECIDED TO DSND THROUGH TO A LOWER ALT. DURING MY DSCNT I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CLOUD AT 5000 FT MSL. KNOWING FROM MY BRIEFING WHERE THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS WERE, I CONTINUED MY DSCNT AND BROKE THROUGH AT 3800 FT MSL. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I INTEND TO RECEIVE A BETTER PREFLT BRIEFING, AND TO USE FLT WATCH.

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.