SMA PLT ENCOUNTERS WX NOT AS BRIEFED AND MUST ENTER CLOUDS TO DSND RATHER THAN CONTINUE INTO POORER WX. NOT INST RATED.

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DEPARTED CBE VFR EXPECTING TO ARRIVE AT PKB VFR ABOVE A BROKEN LAYER. CRUISED AT 8500 FT. WINDS WERE APPROX 270 DEGS; 50 KTS. FLT WATCH WX CKB-MGW OVCST. REDUCED PROGRESS DUE TO 50 KT HEADWIND WOULD LEAVE VERY LITTLE FUEL IF PKB WAS ATTEMPTED (ANOTHER 55 NM). CKB APCH WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED OF SIT. FUEL STATUS 2 HRS. APCH CONTACTED ACFT IN AREA LOOKING FOR A BROKEN CLOUD BASE; BUT NONE WAS FOUND. APCH VECTORED US TO INTERCEPT THE LOC APPROX 20 MI OUT FOR RWY 21. I DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED INTO THE CLOUDS AT 5500-6000 FT MSL. BROKE OUT AT 3800 FT AND CANCELED EMER. LANDED AT CKB WITH 1.3 HRS FUEL. TWR REQUESTED I CONTACT APCH VIA PHONE. THEY WERE CALLED AND GIVEN MY NAME AND ADDRESS. CHAIN OF EVENTS: LURE OF 'IMPROVING' WX AT DEST. HAD WAITED 4 DAYS TRYING TO CROSS THESE 3500 FT MOUNTAINS (ON VACATION). LOW GND SPD INDICATED A PROB REACHING DEST. CALL ATC AND CONFESS. DECIDE TO CONTINUE W WHERE A CTLED FIELD AND POSSIBLY BETTER ATC SVCS WERE AVAILABLE AND MORE FAVORABLE TERRAIN. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 10 HRS OF HOOD TIME IN LAST 18 MONTHS AND ANOTHER PLT IN R SEAT (PVT). MADE A CTLED DSCNT THROUGH 1500 FT OF CLOUD. A LOWER RISK OPTION (EVEN WITH POSSIBLE FAA SANCTIONS) THAN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE TO PKB AND POSSIBLY RUN OUT OF FUEL.