Date: 201205
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: Mixed
Weather elements / visibility: Haze / Smoke; 5
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class C ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown
Anomaly: Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Weather; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: VFR flight returning to home base; which is small private field located under Class C shelf. Before the flight; from about 170 miles away in 'severe clear' VFR conditions; I reviewed the weather conditions along the route of flight and at the destination. Although overcast at the time; it appeared to be lifting and; regardless; had enough ceiling and visibility to likely permit a VFR flight home. During the flight; I was monitoring local weather conditions via on-board weather reporting and ATIS of the Class C airport nearby. Variable scattered; broken; and overcast was evident with the very recent and latest special ATIS from this Class C airport nearby reporting scattered 800; broken 12 thousand. As I approached my home base; under the class C shelf; and under an overcast; it was apparent that while the scattered layer at 800 FT being reported was correct; it appeared that the 12 thousand broken was actually more like 12 hundred broken where I was - just 8 or 9 miles to the west of the Class C airport; and the ceiling appeared lower or lowering ahead - in between me and destination just a few miles ahead. Although instrument rated; I was on a VFR flight; and not on a flight plan. Not wanting to chance a VFR into IMC incident; I elected to turn west; away from both my airport and the Class C airport; and climb through a 'hole' to clear VFR conditions above. As I climbed and turned; I came very close to the floor (2;800 FT) of the Class C airspace as I reached the 10 mile Class C ring. I continued the climb to 4;500 FT and then 5;500 FT as I turned back easterly and contacted ATC and obtained a pop up clearance into the Class C (my home base has no instrument approaches). We did the approach; broke through the clouds; and changed the landing clearance to a low approach and proceeded under visual flight rules and without incident to a landing at my home base 7 miles away. Relying on the 'Broken 12 thousand' being reported just 7 miles away should not have been relied upon. In hindsight; I should have requested the pop up clearance sooner; and certainly before being under the Class C shelf. I will do so in the future.

Callback: The reporter is not sure where the ceiling error was introduced or if the forecast had just yet to come true. By the time he reached his home field the ceiling was absent.



Synopsis: C182 pilot reports attempting to return VFR to home field located beneath the Class C ring of a nearby airport with a weather report of 800 scattered and 12;000 broken. Upon nearing destination it appears that the broken layer is actually 1;200 FT requiring an IFR clearance to reach the destination airport.