VFR IN IMC.

Narrative

AFTER RECEIVING SEVERAL WX BRIEFINGS AT LAS VEGAS; NV I PROCEEDED TOWARDS BAKERSFIELD TO FLY UNDER THE CLOUDS; UP THE VALLEY TO Q62. I ENCOUNTERED A FRONT APPROX 40 MI FROM FRESNO. I ATTEMPTED TO FLY OVER THE CLOUDS AND CLBED TO 16500 FT; THE WX CLOSED IN ON ME AND I HAD ONLY VISIBILITY OF THE SUN. SINCE I WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS; I WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS KEEPING CLEAR OF THE MOUNTAINS; THE MAP SHOWED MT WHITNEY AT 14500 FT; I MISREAD MY ALTIMETER AND THOUGHT I WAS AT 6500 FT. I HAD BEEN ON RADAR FOLLOWING FROM LAS BUT HAD LOST CONTACT WITH SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT FRESNO AND ASKED THEM FOR HELP TO KEEP ME CLR OF TERRAIN AND TOLD THEM I WAS AT 6500 FT. I THAN REALIZED I WAS AT 16500 FT AND INFORMED THEM THE SAME. FRESNO WAS VERY HELPFUL AND I FLEW DIRECTLY TO FRESNO WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY FOR APPROX 15- 20 MINS. I WAS NEVER OUT OF CTL AND KNEW WHERE I WAS AT ALL TIMES; EXCEPT FOR CONCERN OVER HT. I WAS ON AUTOPLT COUPLED WITH LORAN AND NEVER EXPERIENCED ICING NOR PRECIPITATION. BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT THE VALLEY WAS CLR; I FELT IT MORE EXPEDIENT TO PROCEED TO FRESNO. I ALSO FELT THAT; SINCE I THOUGHT I WAS AT 6500 FT; IT WOULD BE LESS HAZARDOUS TO PROCEED THAN TO ATTEMPT A 180 DEG TURN AND POSSIBLY EXPERIENCE LOSING CTL OF THE ACFT. AFTER ARRIVING AT FRESNO OR APPROX 10 MI FROM AIRPORT; I BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AND WAS NEVER IN LESS THAN VFR FROM THAT POINT TO Q62. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT FRESNO AND DID SO WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY AIRPORT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAYS THAT THE ARTCC CTLRS WERE 'VERY KIND' IN THEIR HANDLING OF HIM IN THE FLT ASSIST AND THE LATER COMS. THE FRESNO FSDO HAS OFFERED HIM A 120 DAY SUSPENSION OF HIS CERTIFICATE WHICH HE IS APPEALING. THE FSDO SUGGESTED THAT HE GET AN INSTRUMENT TICKET AND HE IS STARTING THIS NOW. THE FSDO SAYS THAT; SINCE HE DID NOT TURN AROUND; THIS WAS A DELIBERATE ACT AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE ASRS DO NOT APPLY. THE RPTR DID NOT USE HIS OXYGEN SYS AND THE FSDO THINKS THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD A TOUCH OF HYPOXIA AS HE MISREAD HIS ALTIMETER. THE RPTR WAS IN IMC FOR ONLY ABOUT 15 MINS. THERE WAS NO ICING; ONLY GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THIN CLOUDS. ZOA WAS THE AGENCY THAT PROVIDED THE FLT ASSIST. THE RPTR USUALLY USES FLT FOLLOWING IN HIS TRAVELS.