RV-7
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 300; Flight Crew Type 300
Physiological - Other; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Diverted
Weather; Human Factors; Procedure
The clouds had broken...and while the ceiling was still only around 3;000; I launched; confident I'd at least be able to get to [an intermediate stop]; less than an hour away; at which time I could re-evaluate the weather. I was planning a flight to [destination]; but not long after launching...I ran into showers and zigged and zagged along; until I saw broken sky. I then headed for it. Being on top seemed a better option than trying to cross the mountains running scud. A half hour or so later; the buildup seemed to grow ahead (I realized later this was an optical illusion); and [the intermediate stop] was now reporting overcast. Now; keep in mind; just several days earlier; I'd gone to [a safety seminar] on weather. So I knew better than to let myself get stuck on top; and yet -- here I was: unwilling to turn around and too stupid to check the weather ahead to see if it had afforded me any options. Instead; I circled the field as judged by my GPS; and then descended through 2;000 feet of clouds; somewhat confident than the ATIS reporting 3;900 broken; was correct. It was.It was illegal. It was stupid. And I apologized to the plane and; upon landing; went straight to the mirror and promised myself I'd never do such a stupid thing again. There were so many options -- better options -- I could have made and didn't.
RV-7 pilot continued VFR flight into worsening weather until becoming VFR On Top then descended through the overcast based on GPS position and was able to land in VMC.