Narrative:

I was the pilot in training under the direction of the PIC/training captain flying beechcraft king air departing on a part 91 leg. The WX conditions at the time were reported to be 6000 ft broken and 10 mi visibility. Prior to taking the runway; I could clearly see stars in the sky overhead with no cloud cover. Upon climb out wbound; I leveled the aircraft at 8500 ft in VFR conditions. The PIC/training captain told me to climb higher and upon complying with his instructions; we encountered clouds at approximately 9500 ft. I informed the PIC/training captain that I wanted to return to VMC at 8500 ft. He instead ordered me to climb through the clouds to get on top. The flight conditions were IMC through approximately 13500 ft when we broke out into VFR conditions. During the climb through IMC; the PIC/training captain attempted to obtain our flight IFR clearance from center but only after it was apparent at approximately 12000 ft we were not going to break out of the IMC. We did receive our flight's IFR clearance from center after several radio calls. There were no other aircraft observed by us or heard from in the area west of us at the time of this incident. Lessons learned: 1) for safety of flight; when in doubt about the flight/WX conditions along the route of flight; obtain an IFR clearance prior to flight. 2) when inadvertently entering IMC without a clearance; return to VMC as soon as it is safely practicable and remain so unless safety dictates otherwise and/or until an IFR clearance is received.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: KING AIR FLIGHT CREW ENTERS IMC ON DEPARTURE WITHOUT AN IFR CLEARANCE.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT IN TRAINING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PIC/TRAINING CAPT FLYING BEECHCRAFT KING AIR DEPARTING ON A PART 91 LEG. THE WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE RPTED TO BE 6000 FT BROKEN AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY; I COULD CLEARLY SEE STARS IN THE SKY OVERHEAD WITH NO CLOUD COVER. UPON CLBOUT WBOUND; I LEVELED THE ACFT AT 8500 FT IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE PIC/TRAINING CAPT TOLD ME TO CLB HIGHER AND UPON COMPLYING WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS; WE ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS AT APPROX 9500 FT. I INFORMED THE PIC/TRAINING CAPT THAT I WANTED TO RETURN TO VMC AT 8500 FT. HE INSTEAD ORDERED ME TO CLB THROUGH THE CLOUDS TO GET ON TOP. THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE IMC THROUGH APPROX 13500 FT WHEN WE BROKE OUT INTO VFR CONDITIONS. DURING THE CLB THROUGH IMC; THE PIC/TRAINING CAPT ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN OUR FLT IFR CLRNC FROM CTR BUT ONLY AFTER IT WAS APPARENT AT APPROX 12000 FT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BREAK OUT OF THE IMC. WE DID RECEIVE OUR FLT'S IFR CLRNC FROM CTR AFTER SEVERAL RADIO CALLS. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT OBSERVED BY US OR HEARD FROM IN THE AREA W OF US AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) FOR SAFETY OF FLT; WHEN IN DOUBT ABOUT THE FLT/WX CONDITIONS ALONG THE RTE OF FLT; OBTAIN AN IFR CLRNC PRIOR TO FLT. 2) WHEN INADVERTENTLY ENTERING IMC WITHOUT A CLRNC; RETURN TO VMC AS SOON AS IT IS SAFELY PRACTICABLE AND REMAIN SO UNLESS SAFETY DICTATES OTHERWISE AND/OR UNTIL AN IFR CLRNC IS RECEIVED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.