Narrative:

On a VFR flight I encountered rapidly deteriorating visibility/ceiling conditions, this situation was compounded by a flight path leading into rising terrain and a narrowing valley. Having been released from control by ZZZ departure approximately 5 mins prior, and uncomfortable with descending any lower (scud running), the aircraft entered IMC. Given the fact that I am very familiar with the local area, the terrain elevations, and the approach corridors, rather than attempt to descend trying to find VMC, I elected to climb in IMC to a safe altitude where I did find and report an 'in between layer' for a brief period when I re-established contact with ZZZ1 approach. I then reported my inability to maintain VFR and requested an IFR clearance back to ZZZ1. Approach control issued a new transponder code along with a request to 'identify' and after a brief delay which necessitated another request for clearance, I received IFR instructions to proceed and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. Observation: prior to flight, I called the AWOS at ZZZ2 and received a report of calm winds, greater than 10 SM visibility, few at 300 ft scattered at 2700 ft, and 3500 ft overcast, feeling comfortable with the destination report and the apparent descent conditions I observed in my direction of flight from the ground, I decided to go. Causal factors: the lack of any route of flight WX report, the lack of any flyable approach procedure (based on aircraft equipment), the apparent flyable VMC, and the desire to get customers to their scheduled destination. Future considerations: I will do a better job of evaluating the available current/forecast conditions, which I can present to the passenger with a more realistic assessment (based on environmental conditions, ie, WX terrain, etc) versus the present enthusiastic 'can do' attitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 ENTERED IMC WHILE ENRTE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PLT CLBED VFR IN IMC, CALLED APCH CTL AND RETURNED IFR TO HIS DEP ARPT.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT I ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY DETERIORATING VISIBILITY/CEILING CONDITIONS, THIS SIT WAS COMPOUNDED BY A FLT PATH LEADING INTO RISING TERRAIN AND A NARROWING VALLEY. HAVING BEEN RELEASED FROM CTL BY ZZZ DEP APPROX 5 MINS PRIOR, AND UNCOMFORTABLE WITH DSNDING ANY LOWER (SCUD RUNNING), THE ACFT ENTERED IMC. GIVEN THE FACT THAT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL AREA, THE TERRAIN ELEVATIONS, AND THE APCH CORRIDORS, RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO DSND TRYING TO FIND VMC, I ELECTED TO CLB IN IMC TO A SAFE ALT WHERE I DID FIND AND RPT AN 'IN BTWN LAYER' FOR A BRIEF PERIOD WHEN I RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH ZZZ1 APCH. I THEN RPTED MY INABILITY TO MAINTAIN VFR AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC BACK TO ZZZ1. APCH CTL ISSUED A NEW XPONDER CODE ALONG WITH A REQUEST TO 'IDENT' AND AFTER A BRIEF DELAY WHICH NECESSITATED ANOTHER REQUEST FOR CLRNC, I RECEIVED IFR INSTRUCTIONS TO PROCEED AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. OBSERVATION: PRIOR TO FLT, I CALLED THE AWOS AT ZZZ2 AND RECEIVED A RPT OF CALM WINDS, GREATER THAN 10 SM VISIBILITY, FEW AT 300 FT SCATTERED AT 2700 FT, AND 3500 FT OVCST, FEELING COMFORTABLE WITH THE DEST RPT AND THE APPARENT DSCNT CONDITIONS I OBSERVED IN MY DIRECTION OF FLT FROM THE GND, I DECIDED TO GO. CAUSAL FACTORS: THE LACK OF ANY RTE OF FLT WX RPT, THE LACK OF ANY FLYABLE APCH PROC (BASED ON ACFT EQUIP), THE APPARENT FLYABLE VMC, AND THE DESIRE TO GET CUSTOMERS TO THEIR SCHEDULED DEST. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS: I WILL DO A BETTER JOB OF EVALUATING THE AVAILABLE CURRENT/FORECAST CONDITIONS, WHICH I CAN PRESENT TO THE PAX WITH A MORE REALISTIC ASSESSMENT (BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, IE, WX TERRAIN, ETC) VERSUS THE PRESENT ENTHUSIASTIC 'CAN DO' ATTITUDE.

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.