NON INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC AND REQUESTS CLRNC TO 'ON-TOP.'

Narrative

THURS AT XA00 AM I FLEW FROM FLIPPIN; AR; TO LIT ON A BUSINESS TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN; AS I ALWAYS DO. THURS AT XH00; SAME DAY; I BEGAN RETURN FLT FROM LIT TO FLIPPIN. I AGAIN RECEIVED FSS BRIEFING AND FILED MY VFR FLT PLAN. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM LITTLE ROCK ADAMS FIELD I WAS HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL. AS I WAS CLBING TO CRUISE ALT I ENCOUNTERED IFR CONDITIONS. DUE TO THE TERRAIN ELEVATION AND TWRS I REQUESTED CLRNC ON TOP AT 5500 FT. I HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ON TOP ALT. THE DEP CTLR ASKED ME IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I REPLIED 'NO.' HE THEN GAVE ME CLRNC ON TOP AT 6000 FT AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT ZME FOR CONTINUED CTL. I DID SO AND WAS RELEASED AT FLIPPIN VOR WHEN I DSNDED AND RETURNED TO VFR CONDITIONS AT 3200 FT. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE VFR LNDG AT FLIPPIN WITHOUT INCIDENT. I AM A VFR PLT AND A IFR STUDENT. IT HAS BEEN CLEARLY POINTED OUT TO ME THAT I EXCEEDED MY QUALIFICATIONS AND I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS AND BEEN MADE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE ERROR IN MY JUDGEMENT. ONE FACTOR THAT LED ME ASTRAY IS LISTENING AND BELIEVING HANGAR TALK IN REF TO MODIFIED VFR CLRNC IF ONE GETS IN A SIT WHERE HE NEEDS TO GET ON TOP. IT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT THAT THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE RULES. I RPT THIS TO YOU HOPING TO CONFESS MY MISTAKE IN JUDGEMENT AND TO PREVENT THIS MISUNDERSTANDING FROM CONTINUING WITH OTHER VFR PLTS VIA A SAFETY BULLETIN.