Narrative:

After receiving ATIS information I contacted clearance delivery and requested a SVFR takeoff. I was not asked any other information. I did start my planned route of sba to gvo; to prb; to 0o5. I was granted an SVFR; but was not told which runway and was told to contact ground control. At ground control; I asked for runway 15. During my taxi I was questioned about runway 15 or runway 25. I stated I wanted runway 15. After run-up I contacted the tower; ready for takeoff. On takeoff the tower informed me that I was to make a right downwind departure. On turning downwind at 1000 ft I kept the pattern tight to the airport due to approaching WX from the west (I was flying north). This tower released me to my own navigation. I immediately requested a r-hand turn over the airport to keep away from the WX and fly out at 1500 ft into clear skies. The tower was adamant about me not making a right turn over the airport. Continuing in this pattern was not an option because of terrain and diminishing visibility. I informed the tower that I would make a l-hand turn. However; I was unaware of how fast the fog was approaching behind me. Upon turning the aircraft; I was immediately in the fog. I quickly turned the plane to a heading of 150 degrees; maintained level flight; and in 5 or 6 seconds exited the fog into clear air. I quickly turned away from the WX and initiated a climb at 2000 ft. I informed the tower that the top of the fog was 1800 ft and was turning to gvo. I was told to contact departure. I do not understand why I was not questioned about my planned departure route; or why I was told to do a right downwind departure especially with clear air at 1500 ft and approaching WX at 2700 ft. Upon returning to sba I contacted a flight instructor and reviewed SVFR procedures; and options I had once in the air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SVFR BE24 PLT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR OR COMPLY WITH DEP INSTRUCTIONS ENTERED A STRATUS LAYER BEFORE FINALLY BREAKING OUT VFR IN CTLED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING ATIS INFO I CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY AND REQUESTED A SVFR TKOF. I WAS NOT ASKED ANY OTHER INFO. I DID START MY PLANNED RTE OF SBA TO GVO; TO PRB; TO 0O5. I WAS GRANTED AN SVFR; BUT WAS NOT TOLD WHICH RWY AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT GND CTL. AT GND CTL; I ASKED FOR RWY 15. DURING MY TAXI I WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT RWY 15 OR RWY 25. I STATED I WANTED RWY 15. AFTER RUN-UP I CONTACTED THE TWR; READY FOR TKOF. ON TKOF THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS TO MAKE A R DOWNWIND DEP. ON TURNING DOWNWIND AT 1000 FT I KEPT THE PATTERN TIGHT TO THE ARPT DUE TO APCHING WX FROM THE W (I WAS FLYING N). THIS TWR RELEASED ME TO MY OWN NAV. I IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A R-HAND TURN OVER THE ARPT TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE WX AND FLY OUT AT 1500 FT INTO CLR SKIES. THE TWR WAS ADAMANT ABOUT ME NOT MAKING A R TURN OVER THE ARPT. CONTINUING IN THIS PATTERN WAS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE OF TERRAIN AND DIMINISHING VISIBILITY. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT I WOULD MAKE A L-HAND TURN. HOWEVER; I WAS UNAWARE OF HOW FAST THE FOG WAS APCHING BEHIND ME. UPON TURNING THE ACFT; I WAS IMMEDIATELY IN THE FOG. I QUICKLY TURNED THE PLANE TO A HDG OF 150 DEGS; MAINTAINED LEVEL FLT; AND IN 5 OR 6 SECONDS EXITED THE FOG INTO CLR AIR. I QUICKLY TURNED AWAY FROM THE WX AND INITIATED A CLB AT 2000 FT. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT THE TOP OF THE FOG WAS 1800 FT AND WAS TURNING TO GVO. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS NOT QUESTIONED ABOUT MY PLANNED DEP RTE; OR WHY I WAS TOLD TO DO A R DOWNWIND DEP ESPECIALLY WITH CLR AIR AT 1500 FT AND APCHING WX AT 2700 FT. UPON RETURNING TO SBA I CONTACTED A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND REVIEWED SVFR PROCS; AND OPTIONS I HAD ONCE IN THE AIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.