A GA CFI experiences an IMC in VFR flight situation when he misjudges the cloud tops while en route VFR to ilg near ptw, PA.

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Attributes
ACN	465290
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	465290
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
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	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from pwm to ilg, feb/xa/00 at approximately XY00Z, I was well above a low cloud layer and level at 6500 ft. My destination airport was VFR. When about 40 mi northeast of the pottstown VOR, I saw a dark area ahead and started a climb, but because of the darkness, passed through the tops of some clouds. A call to ZNY soon produced an IFR flight plan and I proceeded on to ilg without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GA CFI EXPERIENCES AN IMC IN VFR FLT SIT WHEN HE MISJUDGES THE CLOUD TOPS WHILE ENRTE VFR TO ILG NEAR PTW, PA.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM PWM TO ILG, FEB/XA/00 AT APPROX XY00Z, I WAS WELL ABOVE A LOW CLOUD LAYER AND LEVEL AT 6500 FT. MY DEST ARPT WAS VFR. WHEN ABOUT 40 MI NE OF THE POTTSTOWN VOR, I SAW A DARK AREA AHEAD AND STARTED A CLB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DARKNESS, PASSED THROUGH THE TOPS OF SOME CLOUDS. A CALL TO ZNY SOON PRODUCED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND I PROCEEDED ON TO ILG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.