Narrative:

Mccollum's AWOS reported VFR conditions with 7 mi visibility and the lowest ceiling a broken layer at 12000 ft. However; I encountered a thin layer at 1500 ft MSL as I made my turn from runway heading to right crosswind. One min I could see fine -- and the next I couldn't. Realizing I was in a cloud; I lowered the nose and descended out of it. Now; though; I was below pattern altitude; and less than 500 ft above ground. The layer appeared to extend for some distance around the airport. I didn't know what to do. Regardless of what I did; I'd be in violation of either the cloud or obstacle clearance minimums. Looking up; I could see the reported clouds high above the layer; so I decided it was thin enough to pop up through. Once through; it was above 15 ft thick -- I had plenty of forward visibility and could easily stay above the layer; through which I could still see enough of the ground to maintain reference. I still don't know what I should have done. The layer was not reported on AWOS and was invisible from the ground; so I didn't know it was there until I was in it. While popping up through the layer was against cloud minimum regulations; so would staying below it have been -- the layer was 500 ft above the ground; so staying 500 ft below it was not an option. In addition; the regulations for MSA's dictate that I had to fly a minimum of 500 ft above the ground (probably 1000 ft as kennesaw is a congested area); which would have put me in the cloud. I think I broke the fewest rules by going up; but would have been safer to stay just below it -- thus maintaining forward visibility -- and return to the airport to wait for it to either lift or move out of the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ENCOUNTERS WX DURING INITIAL CLB AND IS VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: MCCOLLUM'S AWOS RPTED VFR CONDITIONS WITH 7 MI VISIBILITY AND THE LOWEST CEILING A BROKEN LAYER AT 12000 FT. HOWEVER; I ENCOUNTERED A THIN LAYER AT 1500 FT MSL AS I MADE MY TURN FROM RWY HDG TO R XWIND. ONE MIN I COULD SEE FINE -- AND THE NEXT I COULDN'T. REALIZING I WAS IN A CLOUD; I LOWERED THE NOSE AND DSNDED OUT OF IT. NOW; THOUGH; I WAS BELOW PATTERN ALT; AND LESS THAN 500 FT ABOVE GND. THE LAYER APPEARED TO EXTEND FOR SOME DISTANCE AROUND THE ARPT. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. REGARDLESS OF WHAT I DID; I'D BE IN VIOLATION OF EITHER THE CLOUD OR OBSTACLE CLRNC MINIMUMS. LOOKING UP; I COULD SEE THE RPTED CLOUDS HIGH ABOVE THE LAYER; SO I DECIDED IT WAS THIN ENOUGH TO POP UP THROUGH. ONCE THROUGH; IT WAS ABOVE 15 FT THICK -- I HAD PLENTY OF FORWARD VISIBILITY AND COULD EASILY STAY ABOVE THE LAYER; THROUGH WHICH I COULD STILL SEE ENOUGH OF THE GND TO MAINTAIN REF. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE. THE LAYER WAS NOT RPTED ON AWOS AND WAS INVISIBLE FROM THE GND; SO I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THERE UNTIL I WAS IN IT. WHILE POPPING UP THROUGH THE LAYER WAS AGAINST CLOUD MINIMUM REGS; SO WOULD STAYING BELOW IT HAVE BEEN -- THE LAYER WAS 500 FT ABOVE THE GND; SO STAYING 500 FT BELOW IT WAS NOT AN OPTION. IN ADDITION; THE REGS FOR MSA'S DICTATE THAT I HAD TO FLY A MINIMUM OF 500 FT ABOVE THE GND (PROBABLY 1000 FT AS KENNESAW IS A CONGESTED AREA); WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT ME IN THE CLOUD. I THINK I BROKE THE FEWEST RULES BY GOING UP; BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER TO STAY JUST BELOW IT -- THUS MAINTAINING FORWARD VISIBILITY -- AND RETURN TO THE ARPT TO WAIT FOR IT TO EITHER LIFT OR MOVE OUT OF THE AREA.

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.