PA44 PLT ON AN EXAMINER CHK RIDE; TRANSITION FROM AN SVFR CLRNC WHILE IN THE CTL ZONE TO AN IFR RETURN; INST APCH CLRNC. PLT QUESTIONS 'WHO'S THE PIC?'

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EVENT OCCURRED WHILE ON A CHK RIDE FLT (MEI) WITH AN EXAMINER ABOARD. FLT WAS TO INVOLVE 1 OR 2 LNDGS IN THE LCL PATTERN. ATIS (ABOUT 45 MINS OLD) RPTED 900 FT SCATTERED; 2100 FT BROKEN; AND RPTS FROM 2 INSTRUCTORS THAT LANDED JUST PRIOR MY DEP INDICATED THE PATTERN WAS CLR OF CLOUDS; AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER DEP; UPON REACHING 800 FT AGL; WE STARTED HAVING TO MANEUVER TO AVOID SCATTERED CLOUDS; AND I LEVELED AT 800 FT AGL. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC FROM FPR TWR. JUST W OF THE FIELD (RWY 9 OP); IT BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS. WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 MI OF THE RWY; ON BASE LEG; I INDICATED WE SHOULD START A DSCNT TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS; INTENDING TO DSND TO 600-700 FT AGL (CIRCLING MINIMUMS FOR FPR ARE 640 FT AGL) AND RETURN TO LAND ON RWY 9. HOWEVER; THE EXAMINER ABOARD DID NOT AGREE; AND INSTEAD; INCREASED PWR TO FULL PWR; STARTED CLBING; AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE A CLB TO 1500 FT AGL. AFTER THAT; THE EXAMINER REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC; AND WE RETURNED TO FPR FOR AN ILS APCH AND LNDG. THE CLB RESULTED IN ENTERING SOME CLOUDS BEFORE RECEIVING THE IFR CLRNC. RECURRENCE OF SUCH EVENTS COULD BE PREVENTED BY CLARIFYING; BEFORE A FLT; RESPONSIBILITIES DURING A CHK RIDE BTWN EXAMINER AND EXAMINEE; AND DISCUSSING COURSE OF ACTION IN CASE OF UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH THE EXAMINER IS GENERALLY NOT THE PIC; IN A TESTING ENVIRONMENT; IT'S NOT OBVIOUS WHEN THE EXAMINEE SHOULD CHALLENGE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE EXAMINER. ALSO; IT IS NOT CLR WHO BECOMES PIC WHEN THE EXAMINER TAKES THE CTLS OF THE ACFT.