A tb-20 pilot reports IMC flight while on a VFR flight plan in nyc class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	839662
Time
Date	200906
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	JFK.Airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Trinidad TB-20
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15 Flight Crew Total 1100 Flight Crew Type 110
Events
Anomaly	Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

Began flight knowing that weather would be VFR with various cloud formations 3000+ ft. Requested and accepted clearance through jfk class B; climb to 5500 ft. Encountered cloud buildups and climbed to 6500 ft; and then 8500 ft. Encountered cloud tops above that altitude while radio was *very* busy. Elected to poke through those cloud tops rather than deviate from assigned altitude or heading. Being an IFR pilot on a VFR flight plan; I judged that a short period of IMC would be safer than deviating from my assigned course in a very busy piece of airspace. Completed flight uneventfully. Next time; I'd opt to travel around rather than through this airspace if weather made it impossible to be sure of being able to complete the mission in VMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TB-20 pilot reports IMC flight while on a VFR flight plan in NYC Class B airspace.

Narrative: Began flight knowing that weather would be VFR with various cloud formations 3000+ FT. Requested and accepted clearance through JFK Class B; climb to 5500 FT. Encountered cloud buildups and climbed to 6500 FT; and then 8500 FT. Encountered cloud tops above that altitude while radio was *VERY* busy. Elected to poke through those cloud tops rather than deviate from assigned altitude or heading. Being an IFR pilot on a VFR flight plan; I judged that a short period of IMC would be safer than deviating from my assigned course in a very busy piece of airspace. Completed flight uneventfully. Next time; I'd opt to travel around rather than through this airspace if weather made it impossible to be SURE of being able to complete the mission in VMC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.