PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ASCENDED INTO THE OVCST TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT ON BASE LEG TO AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative

ORIGINAL FLT WAS FROM SNS TO 60S; BUT DUE TO IFR WX AT DEST; LANDED AT PDX. WHEN PDX WENT VFR; 1000 FT TO 3000 FT; DEPARTED PDX VFR TO LAND AT 60S. RECEIVED DEP CLRNC TO STAY ON TWR FREQ FOR FLT (ABOUT 5 MI) TO PEARSON. FLT DEPARTED RWY 10L AND WAS GIVEN VECTORS (L TURN) TO FOLLOW N BANK OF RIVER (COLUMBIA RIVER) WBOUND TO PEARSON. THIS IS A COMMON PROC FOR ARRS FROM S TO OVERFLY PDX AT MIDFIELD TO N BANK OF RIVER; TURN W BOUND FOR LNDG. ONCE WE BECAME ESTABLISHED OVER THE N BANK OF THE RIVER; AND ABOUT DIRECTLY N OF PDX; TWR CLRED ME TO PEARSON ADVISORY FREQ AND SQUAWK 1200. WITH PEARSON IN SIGHT; BUT VISIBILITY VERY POOR; I NOTIFIED TFC OF MY INTENTION TO LAND STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 26 (WINDS WERE CALM); AND RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE TA FROM A 'TWIN GOOSE' ON BASE TO RWY 26 AT PEARSON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED R; NBOUND; TO GET TO A POS N OF THE ARPT WHERE I COULD ENTER THE TFC PATTERN DOWNWIND; AVOID THE 'TWIN GOOSE;' AND ADVISED THE TFC OF MY INTENTIONS ON THE ADVISORY FREQ (123.0). TO AVOID THE GOOSE ON BASE; I INITIATED A CLB; BUT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED CLOUDS. AT THIS POINT; I LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND; SO I CONTINUED TO CLB TO ABOUT 1700 FT TO VMC. I COULD SEE TO THE W THAT THE UNDERCAST WAS BROKEN; SO FLEW TO THE VICINITY OF VANCOUVER LAKE; THE POINT WHERE NORMAL TFC APCHS PEARSON AIRPARK; FLEW TO AND ENTERED A NORMAL DOWNWIND; R TFC FOR RWY 26; AND LANDED AT PEARSON FIELD. THE MOMENTARY VIOLATION OF VFR IN THIS CASE DID NOT BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE; AND PROBABLY WENT UNNOTICED BY CTLRS. WHAT CONCERNS ME ON THIS FLT WAS THAT; DUE TO MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS AND THE TFC IN THE PATTERN AT PEARSON FIELD (WHICH WAS SURPRISING; CONSIDERING THAT AREA CONDITIONS WENT TO VMC ONLY MINS EARLIER) I FLEW FOR SEVERAL MINS IN THE CLASS C AIRSPACE; AND VERY MUCH IN (BUT BELOW) THE IFR APCH PATH TO PDX. AFTER REACHING VMC; I CONSIDERED CALLING PDX TWR AGAIN; BUT; AFTER THE SURPRISE OF THE TWIN GOOSE; I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE ADVISORY FREQ BECAUSE OF THE POOR VISIBILITY. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE BEST RESPONSE TO THIS SIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD DO EVERYTHING THE SAME IF THE SIT OCCURRED AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THAT STAYING WITH PDX TWR WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE; AS IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE TWIN GOOSE. GOING BACK TO PDX TWR AFTER CHANGING MY APCH TO TRADITIONAL PATTERN INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT-IN COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN A PROB IF THERE WAS OTHER TFC FOR PEARSON. CTLRS HAD MY VFR SQUAWK; SO I KNOW THEY WOULD HAVE DIVERTED OTHER ACFT IF A CONFLICT AROSE. IN THIS CASE; ALL ENDED WELL; WITH NO TFC NEAR MISSES; SO WHAT I DID WORKED OUT; BUT IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOME REAL PROBS.