Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6; Flight Crew Total 150; Flight Crew Type 142
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Exited Penetrated Airspace
Weather; Human Factors
When I was on my flight to ZZZ airport; I noticed clouds and precipitation to the south/southwest; that's when I listened to ZZZ1 airport ASOS. It had said that there was no precipitation and clouds were still high. When I got the clearance to come into ZZZ airport on a right base leg for Runway XX; it was clear to see that there were haze and mist to the south/southeast. My original plan was to do a full stop taxi back Runway XX. Given the weather I saw coming; I decided to park and go into the FBO to check the weather again. I saw on radar through 1800wxbrief.com that a storm was passing through. I checked the METARs and they were saying clouds 6;000 feet overcast and 7sm visibility. I decided to take off; I got to 2;300 feet MSL to see that visibility was around 3sm; I decided to come back to ZZZ to land. Tower even said they had lost sight of me when I was on base leg to final Runway XX. I landed and parked the plane again and looked at the radar; it showed a massive storm directly to my south going northeast and a small storm about to hit and soon pass. I made the decision to refuel and preflight at ZZZ so when I did get the pocket to leave I could do it without wasting time. My next stop was planned for ZZZ2 airport. I looked at METARs from ZZZ to ZZZ2 and forecasts; ZZZ2 showed it was 6;000 foot overcast and 10sm visibility. ZZZ was reporting overcast 6;000 foot clouds; mist; and 4sm visibility. I could clearly see that visibility was less and I proceeded to wait until the storm had passed until I got my pocket of clarity. I had discussed my plan with my Flight Instructor and he saw what was happening on radar and METARs forecasted for ZZZ; ZZZ2; and ZZZ3. He agreed with my plan and said once I get the visibility and clouds I need to get out of there. When I noticed it was clearing up and visibility was clearing; I called a weather briefer and he told me the same thing as the METARs; he advised me to be very careful on my flight. Going into the flight; I knew I had to be cautious because of the visibility; clouds; and higher elevation due to hilly terrain. I departed ZZZ and activated my VFR flight plan from ZZZ to ZZZ2. I had planned to cruise at 4;500 feet giving me enough room to be below the overcast clouds. Visibility was at 5sm with haze/mist mixture; any lower I would've turned around immediately and probably would have spent the night at ZZZ. ZZZ Tower had put me on flight following to ZZZ2 with the intention of doing a touch and go and departing immediately to ZZZ4. ZZZ Tower transferred me to ATC Radio. For the first 15 minutes of my flight to ZZZ2 visibility was clearing to 10sm and clouds at 6;000 feet. I could clearly see a massive shelf cloud that was not forecast to my northeast going east. I could clearly see the ground below to check off my VFR checkpoints. When I reached 4;500 feet I had noticed the shelf cloud to be below me; so I stayed at 4;500 feet. When I reached my third VFR checkpoint that's when I saw clouds had moved in behind and to both sides of me. At that time as well; ATC Radio had transferred me to ATC Center. I told ATC Center; [I was at 4;500ft]. We had radar contact; shortly after I told them there were clouds ahead of me and I didn't know what to do; I needed help. The shelf cloud looked to be 3;000 feet to 6;000 feet. I had lost sight of the ground due to fog as well. As I was looking for ground or an opening; I ended up going into the cloud. I notified ATC Center and told them I was not IFR rated; and that I was now in the cloud for a total time of 10 seconds. I knew I was in a cloud because as I looked outside the cockpit it was a complete whiteout and I was surrounded. When I was in the cloud; I immediately looked at my instruments keeping my heading and altitude the same and made sure to not panic or move around to get disoriented. When I got out of the cloud; I could clearly see a few clouds ahead of me and I had broken FAR 91.155 basic VFR weather minimums; being in class E airspace. I also checked periodically to make sure there was no icing on the wings. Right after I got out of the cloud; I asked about ZZZ2 weather and they said visibility was roughly 1sm or 1.5sm; that's when I decided to divert towards ZZZ4. I immediately put into the GPS so I knew exactly where I was going and asked if I could descend from 4;500 feet to 4;000 feet to get below the clouds ahead of me. I knew the clouds would end shortly because ATC Center had told me a local PIREP stating it was 10sm visibility and 6;000 feet overcast. Again; I looked around the surrounding area and there were still clouds behind; left; right; and now ahead of me. Also; it was heavy fog and haze below me. ATC Center asked if I could see the ground or dodge the clouds because they needed 2 miles to figure out a better plan for me; I responded and said that it was patchy below me and I could stay away from the clouds. I asked if I could descend again to 3;800 feet cruising altitude; they responded with altitude was at my discretion; just to try and stay on a constant heading. They came back and said to stay on course to ZZZ4 airport and altitude at my discretion. During the duration of the time I was talking to ATC Center; I asked if they could change my VFR flight plan from ZZZ to ZZZ2; to ZZZ to ZZZ4. They responded and said they had already changed it. The clouds started to break; there was still heavy fog below me that I could see ending and overcast of 11;000 feet as was forecast from ZZZ3 METAR. The fog below was curved and looked to be ending halfway in-between when I diverted and ZZZ3 airport. At that point; ATC Center had transferred me to ZZZ3 Approach. I contacted ZZZ3 Approach; [and advised them I was at 3;600 feet]. I had lowered my altitude after the break of heavy fog. ATC responded with two-way communication and radar contact. Also; it started to get darker; so I decided to turn on my navigation lights to ensure anyone around me could see me. When I got closer to their airspace; they told [me] to cruise at 3;500 feet. Then they told me to fly VFR at my discretion and to have a good flight. Between the cloud break and when I landed at ZZZ4; my flight was smooth no turbulence; no clouds; 10sm visibility; and clouds at 11;000 ft. overcast. I entered ZZZ4 entry corridors and landed smoothly. When I shut down; I closed my flight plan and reviewed the flight with my Flight Instructor.The contributing factors of the flight were unexpected weather that no METAR or TAF was forecasting and reporting. I checked all my resources before taking off from ZZZ airport before I left. The leg from ZZZ to ZZZ2 is limited in weather reporting systems. The corrective actions I made was choosing to wait the first time from ZZZ and ultimately diverting to ZZZ4. Also; I changed my attitude to better understand what the clouds were and to make appropriate judgment calls based on what I saw. My concerns during the flight were the fact that I was breaking a regulation in an impossible situation; not being able to go anywhere without going through clouds; and how unexpected and fast moving the clouds were. I was not worried about going into the cloud because ATC Center was watching me on the radar; I was actively talking to them; and my instrument simulated training in the past had kept my head steady. I believe to ensure to not have a re-occurrence of what happened during this flight; is to stay at the airport on the ground until you for sure know all weather conditions are well above minimums.
C172 pilot reported changing weather conditions resulted in a return to the field; multiple changes to the flight plan and operation in IMC conditions without an Instrument Rating.