A LOW TIME SMA PLT FOUND HIMSELF VFR IN IMC. THE ATCT PROVIDED A FLT ASSIST TO SAFELY CONCLUDE THIS EPISODE.

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ON MAY/SAT/96 I HAD PLANNED A VFR FLT FROM SRQ TO CDK WITH A STOP AT SPG TO PICK UP AN ADDITIONAL PAX. I OBTAINED A STANDARD VFR WX BRIEFING FROM THE SPG FSS. THE FSS ADVISED ME THAT SPG HAD INDICATED VFR BTWN XA10 AM AND XA15 AM; WITH 700 FT SCATTERED. AFTER OBTAINING THE WX BRIEFING; I CALLED A FLYING CLUB IN ST PETERSBURG TO CONFIRM THE WX AND TO ENSURE THAT THE 700 FT SCATTERED WAS; IN FACT; SCATTERED. THE CLUB EMPLOYEE ADVISED ME THAT THERE WERE ONLY A FEW CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1000 FT. I DEPARTED SRQ ON A VFR FLT DIRECT TO SPG. APPROX 10 MI N OF SRQ; I ENCOUNTERED A SCUD LAYER. SINCE I COULD NOT FLY ABOVE THE SCUD LAYER BECAUSE OF THE TAMPA CLASS B AIRSPACE ABOVE ME AT 1200 FT; I DSNDED TO 500 FT; APPROX 500 FT BELOW THE LAYER. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 3-5 MI. I CONTACTED SPG TWR. UPON INQUIRY; I ADVISED THAT I WAS AT 500 FT. SPG DIRECTED ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18 AND I ACKNOWLEDGED. AS I PASSED THE SCUD LAYER; I CLBED BACK TO 800 FT; WHICH IS TFC PATTERN ALT. I NOTICED A LAYER OF HAZE AHEAD WHICH EXHIBITED DECREASED VISIBILITY; HOWEVER; I COULD STILL MAKE OUT THE FIELD; ALTHOUGH VAGUELY. WHEN I ENTERED THE HAZE; VISIBILITY DECREASED TO 2-3 MI. ONCE IN THE HAZE; I REALIZED THAT IT WAS MIXED WITH FOG. I STARTED TO DSND; AND CONTINUED DSNDING TO 400 FT. DURING THE DSCNT; I INADVERTENTLY ENCOUNTERED A CLOUD (SCUD) TO MY R. THE SCUD HAD BEEN HIDDEN BY THE HAZE AND FOG. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT ENTER THE CLOUD; I WAS ONLY ABOUT 100-200 FT W OF IT. I TURNED W TO FLY AWAY FROM THE CLOUD AND; AS I DID SO; I ALMOST ENTERED ANOTHER CLOUD; SO I HAD TO TURN BACK TO THE E. I DID HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT DURING THIS MANEUVERING. THE TWR MUST HAVE SEEN THE PROB I WAS HAVING AND OFFERED ME A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 36; WHICH I ACCEPTED WITH A MINIMAL TAILWIND. I DID NOT ADVISE THE TWR OF THE CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF FEAR OF POSSIBLE FAA INVOLVEMENT; HOWEVER; I DID CALL FSS AND IMMEDIATELY GAVE THEM A PIREP. I ASKED PIE FSS WHAT THE WX WAS AT SPG. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS 1000 FT SCATTERED. I ADVISED THEM THAT IT WAS NOT AN ACCURATE RPT AND HIS RESPONSE WAS; 'WELL; THAT'S THE OFFICIAL RPT.' I HAVE LOST SOME FAITH IN OUR FSS AND ARPT WX RPTS.