C182 FINDS HIMSELF ABOVE AN OVCST WITHOUT AN IFR FLT PLAN OR AN INST CERTIFICATE; TURNS BACK; ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE AND USES THE SYS OF HIS WELL EQUIPPED ACFT TO DSND TO VFR CONDITIONS WITH MORE THAN ADEQUATE FUEL REMAINING.

Narrative

I LEFT ZEPHYRHILLS; FL (ZPH) IN CLR SKIES WITH FULL TANKS (79 GALLONS). THE WX AND FORECAST INDICATED CLR; VFR WX TO MY DEST IN GEORGIA. I CLBED TO 9500 FT AND FOLLOWED MY PLANNED FLT PATH UTILIZING GPS AND VOR INSTS. AS I PROCEEDED; I NOTICED THE FORMATION OF A CLOUD COVER FAR BELOW ME THAT CLOSED IN AND BECAME SOLID. I CONTINUED ON COURSE AND KEPT LOOKING FOR AN OPENING TO THE GND AS WELL AS MONITORING WX RPTS FROM THE POINTS I PASSED. I DID NOT FIND ANY BREAK IN ANY DIRECTION AND NOTED THE TOPS OF THE CLOUDS WERE GETTING HIGHER AS I HEADED N; SO I DECIDED TO TURN BACK S TO ESCAPE THE PROB BEFORE IT GOT GREATER AND WHILE I STILL HAD MORE THAN AMPLE FUEL. I HAD BEEN IN THE AIR ALMOST 1 1/2 HRS AT THAT POINT; SO I HAD A MINIMUM OF 4 1/2 HRS OF FUEL REMAINING; BUT MORE LIKELY MORE THAN 5 HRS LEFT. UNFORTUNATELY; MY GND SPD AT THE SAME PWR SETTINGS DROPPED TO 67 KTS WHEN I TURNED S. AN HR LATER; I WAS STILL N OF JACKSONVILLE; FL. THE TOPS WERE LOWER; BUT NO BREAK OF ANY KIND WAS VISIBLE AND THE RPTS FROM THE GND INDICATED THE CLOUDS WERE SOLID AT 4000 FT. I CALLED JACKSONVILLE APCH AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING. I ALSO REQUESTED THEY ASSIST ME DOWN THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND EXPLAINED MY SIT (A VFR PLT WITH SOME IFR EXPOSURE AND A VERY WELL IFR EQUIPPED ACFT). THEY SUGGESTED I FLY FURTHER S UNTIL I FOUND A CLR AREA. I TOLD THEM I COULD DO THAT; BUT COULD NOT IDENT WHERE THE BREAK MIGHT OCCUR; AND THAT I CONSERVATIVELY HAD 3 1/2 HRS OF FUEL REMAINING AND A GND SPD OF 67 KTS. THEY SPENT A FEW MINS CHKING THEIR WX SOURCES AND CONFIRMED MY INFO REGARDING THE CLOUD COVER WAS CORRECT. THEY SUGGESTED I PROCEED S WHILE THEY LOOKED AT OPTIONS. A FEW MINS LATER THEY HAD FURTHER INFO THAT INDICATED ST AUGUSTINE HAD CLR SKY BELOW 4000 FT; AND NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT IDENTED. MY OPTIONS WERE TO CONTINUE TO FLY S AND HOPE FOR CLRING OR ATTEMPT TO DSND THROUGH 2000 FT OF CLOUD WHEN I APCHED ST AUGUSTINE. MY PRIMARY CONCERN WAS SEPARATION FROM OTHER ACFT; WHICH I FELT WAS COVERED BY HAVING FLT FOLLOWING IF I DSNDED. I HAD 1 GPS SET TO SHOW GND SPD AND ALT AND THE OTHER COUPLED TO THE STEC 50 AUTOPLT TO PROVIDE LEVEL WINGS AND DIRECTION. I HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR PRESENT FLYING IN FOG. MY OTHER INSTS WERE RPTING FINE AND WERE MY PRIMARY SOURCE OF ALT; DIRECTION AND DSCNT RATE; SO I FELT I WAS VERY SAFE IN MAKING THE DSCNT. THE CTLR SAID IT WAS MY CHOICE; AND I OPTED TO DSND. THE DSCNT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROB. I ENTERED AT 6000 FT AND BROKE OUT AT 4200 FT. MY REFUEL AT ST AUGUSTINE CONFIRMED I STILL HAD 41 GALLONS IN MY TANKS. I WILL BE SURE NOT TO ALLOW A SOLID COVER TO DEVELOP BELOW ME IN THE FUTURE BY IMMEDIATELY TURNING AND GETTING BELOW IT -- AT LEAST UNTIL THE TIME I RECEIVE MY IFR CERTIFICATE.