A VFR-RATED BE-35 PLT DSNDED THROUGH AN OVCST LAYER TO REACH HIS DEST.

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EVENT: I DSNDED THROUGH A SOLID OVCST LAYER WHILE ON A VFR FLT AND WITHOUT AN IFR RATING. BACKGROUND: I WAS HDG TO LIT TO ATTEND THE BONANZA PLT PROFICIENCY COURSE. PREFLT WX INDICATED A SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYER AT 5000 FT THROUGHOUT MY RTE OF FLT WITH A SCATTERED TAF FORECAST AT LIT. I TOOK OFF AND PLANNED TO STAY BELOW THE LAYER THE ENTIRE WAY. AFTER TKOF FROM GPM; I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM REGIONAL APCH AND WAS HANDED OFF TO CTR AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. ALTHOUGH IT WAS PERFECTLY SAFE (IE; PLENTY OF TERRAIN CLRNC) TO FLY UNDER THE SCATTERED LAYER; I DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS: HIGHER IS ALWAYS BETTER; THERE WAS LIGHT TURB BELOW; SAVE FUEL; TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TAILWINDS. THE LAYER APPEARED TO BECOME THICKER AND MORE SOLID THE FURTHER E I FLEW. I EVENTUALLY REALIZED THAT I WAS 'STUCK' ABOVE THE LAYER WITH NO HOLES TO DSND. I BASICALLY LIED TO CTR AND REQUESTED A DSNDING SPIRAL 'THROUGH A HOLE.' THEY RPTED NO TFC IN MY VICINITY SO I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT FOR A 20 DEG L HAND TURN AND DSNDED THROUGH THE 1000 FT THICK LAYER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 'GET THERE-IT IS.' THE COURSE IS VERY EXPENSIVE AT LEAST 2 WKS NOTICE TO CANCEL. HABIT: AS A SINGLE ENG PLT; I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT ALT WAS MY FRIEND AND GAVE ME MANY MORE OPTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A PROB. I AM PREDISPOSED TO FLY HIGH EVEN WHEN NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. OVERCONFIDENCE: EVEN THOUGH I'M A LOW TIME PVT PLT; I HAVE OVER 1600 HRS IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE MIL ACFT AS A NAVIGATOR. I OFTEN FEEL THAT MY MIL EXPERIENCE CAN OVERCOME MY LACK OF PVT PLT EXPERIENCE. IN THIS CASE; I ANALYZED THAT I COULD SAFELY DSND BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES: I KNEW THE LAYER WAS THIN BY LISTENING TO RPTS FROM OTHER PLTS. I KNEW I COULD USE MY AUTOPLT TO CTL THE DSCNT. ALTHOUGH I WASN'T IFR RATED; I HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED ALL THE NECESSARY IFR TRAINING AND HAD BEEN ENDORSED TO TAKE MY CHK RIDE SO I FELT I HAD ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO PERFORM A SAFE DSCNT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PROPERLY CONFESS TO ATC THE NEXT TIME. TALK TO COURSE MGRS ABOUT ADJUSTING THEIR REFUND POLICY TO ALLOW FOR WX CANCELLATIONS.