A PVT PLT IN AN AVIAT HUSKEY GOES IMC IN VFR FLT WHEN DEPARTING A NON TWR ARPT; D98; MI.

Narrative

AT XA00; I DEPARTED D98 WITH 700-1000 FT CEILINGS (AS RPTED BY ANOTHER PLT WHO DEPARTED BEFORE ME). 3-7 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER 15 MINS OF FLYING; VISIBILITY DETERIORATED TO 1-2 MI IN HAZE AND SUN GLARE. 7 MI S OF THE ARPT (77G) AT 500-700 FT AGL; I LOST CONTACT WITH THE GND AS I FLEW INTO A CLOUD (FOG). BEFORE I MADE A 180 DEG TURN; I DECIDED TO STABILIZE MY SCAN. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS; I CAME OUT WITH THE ARPT CLRLY IN SIGHT AT 4 MI. I LANDED THERE AND WAITED FOR CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE TO RETURN TO D98. THIS PROB IS CLRLY A CASE OF BAD JUDGEMENT. AFTER THIS FLT; I'VE RAISED MY OWN PERSONAL MINIMUMS SO THAT MVFR WX IS NOT INCLUDED. MY ACFT IS IFR CERTIFIED AND I HAVE COMPLETED MY INST TRAINING. THESE 2 FACTORS THAT SAVED ME FROM DISASTER. TAKING AND PASSING THE INST CHK RIDE AND FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAFEST WAY TO COMPLETE THAT FLT. ALSO; POLARIZED SUNGLASSES WOULD HAVE ALLOWED MY VISION TO PENETRATE THE GLARE AND HAZE ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE THE CLOUD BEFORE I FLEW INTO IT. 1 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF CLOUDS IN MY OPINION IS NOT ADEQUATE IN MICHIGAN WITH ALL THE TOWERS AROUND. MAYBE 3 MI; BUT NOT 1. ALSO; TAKING PIREPS IS NOT AS RELIABLE; TO ME; AS AN AWOS OR ASOS. A PIREP THAT IS VOLUNTEERED MAY BE MORE RELIABLE THAN ONE THAT IS SOLICITED. PLTS ARE RELUCTANT TO RPT SUB-VFR MINIMUMS OVER THE AIRWAYS.