INSTRUCTOR PLT FINDS HIS ACFT IN PROX OF CLOUDS AND PROX OF OBSTRUCTION BUILDING ON HIS RETURN LAND TO 3I7; OH.

Narrative

OUR FLT DEPARTED 3I7 WBOUND FOR A DAY VFR TRAINING FLT THEN PROCEEDED TO DAY FOR TOUCH-AND-GOES. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AT DAY; THE WX BEGAN TO DETERIORATE S AND W OF THE FIELD. WE ADVISED TWR OF THE WORSENING CONDITIONS AND PROCEEDED TOWARD 3I7; APPROX 7 MI W OF DAY. WHEN 2 MI W OF DAY; I REQUESTED A SVFR CLRNC DUE TO A CEILING OF APPROX 1100 FT AGL AND WORSENING VISIBILITY. THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED AND WE REMAINED AT 1650 FT MSL PASSING NEAR THE OUTSKIRTS OF UNION; OH; WHICH LIES JUST WITHIN THE DAY CLASS C SURFACE AREA; AT AN ALT OF APPROX 700 FT AGL ENRTE TO 3I7. THE CONCERN WAS THIS. A SVFR CLRNC ALLOWS 'CLR OF CLOUDS' ONLY WITHIN THE CLASS C SURFACE AREA. UNION; THE ONLY CONGESTED AREA I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID ENRTE TO 3I7; LIES JUST INSIDE THE EDGE OF DAY'S CLASS C SURFACE AREA. ONCE CLR OF THAT AREA; CLASS E AIRSPACE BEGINS AT 700 FT AGL AND WITHIN THAT AIRSPACE I MUST BE 500 FT BELOW ANY CLOUDS. SINCE THAT REQUIREMENT COULD NOT BE SATISFIED; I HAD TO REMAIN IN CLASS G; BELOW 700 FT AGL; AND 'CLR OF CLOUDS.' GND LEVEL IS BTWN APPROX 950- 1050 FT BTWN DAY AND 3I7. FURTHERMORE; WHILE OVER CONGESTED AREAS; LIKE UNION; I AM REQUIRED TO BE 1000 FT ABOVE THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE WITHIN A 2000 FT RADIUS OF THE ACFT. HAD I BEEN THE 1000 FT AGL OVER UNION; I COULD NOT HAVE DSNDED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO BE IN CLASS G UPON XING THE DAY CLASS C BOUNDARY. THE RESULT WAS THIS. WE PASSED NEAR THE OUTSKIRTS OF UNION AT APPROX 700 FT AGL; AND REMAINED AT 600 FT AGL OVER THE NONCONGESTED AREAS BTWN UNION AND 3I7. IN THE FUTURE I WILL KEEP A CLOSER EYE TO THE WX AND NOT ATTEMPT A RETURN HOME IF CONDITIONS LOOK QUESTIONABLE. AFTER LNDG; THE STUDENT AND I DISCUSSED THE PARAMETERS OF A SVFR CLRNC AND THE MINIMUM ALT REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN FAR PART 91.