Narrative:

Long business day (15+ hours), late arrival (at midnight), get homeitis, ILS at home airport (sts) OTS, high mins for VOR approach due to remote altimeter setting criteria (791' hat), typical late evening marine air stratus layer blanketing airport area with excellent visibility underneath (15+ mi), pilot knowledge of local terrain, routes, and WX characteristics, and full moon (of undetermined influence!). Initial IFR (VOR) approach was a miss due to in cloud at minimums (791' hat). Control zone not in effect. Pilot elected to fly up known flat plain under overcast in excellent visibility (15+ mi visibility). To avoid entering controled airspace and clouds, remained below 700' AGL during approach/descent to home airport. During last 15 mi of approach and descent for landing, may have inadvertently overflown developed cry areas at 600-700' AGL. A successful landing was accomplished. Conclusions: fatigue, get homeitis, familiarity with WX, terrain and airport probably combined to cloud pilot's judgement. In retrospect, I was not proud of my decision to proceed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he cancelled IFR after missed approach and remained VFR during maneuvering and approach to landing. Never felt situation was unsafe because he was totally familiar with area. Would never have considered such a procedure in unknown territory. Used highway 101 as guide to stay away from residential area so as not to disturb populated areas in addition to using lower power settings. Visibility below the overcast was such that airport was in sight during entire procedure.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON MISSED APCH, REMAINED BELOW CLOUD LAYER AND DID AN APCH BELOW THE LAYER. LOW FLT AT NIGHT.

Narrative: LONG BUSINESS DAY (15+ HRS), LATE ARR (AT MIDNIGHT), GET HOMEITIS, ILS AT HOME ARPT (STS) OTS, HIGH MINS FOR VOR APCH DUE TO REMOTE ALTIMETER SETTING CRITERIA (791' HAT), TYPICAL LATE EVENING MARINE AIR STRATUS LAYER BLANKETING ARPT AREA WITH EXCELLENT VISIBILITY UNDERNEATH (15+ MI), PLT KNOWLEDGE OF LCL TERRAIN, ROUTES, AND WX CHARACTERISTICS, AND FULL MOON (OF UNDETERMINED INFLUENCE!). INITIAL IFR (VOR) APCH WAS A MISS DUE TO IN CLOUD AT MINIMUMS (791' HAT). CTL ZONE NOT IN EFFECT. PLT ELECTED TO FLY UP KNOWN FLAT PLAIN UNDER OVCST IN EXCELLENT VISIBILITY (15+ MI VISIBILITY). TO AVOID ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE AND CLOUDS, REMAINED BELOW 700' AGL DURING APCH/DSCNT TO HOME ARPT. DURING LAST 15 MI OF APCH AND DSCNT FOR LNDG, MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY OVERFLOWN DEVELOPED CRY AREAS AT 600-700' AGL. A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. CONCLUSIONS: FATIGUE, GET HOMEITIS, FAMILIARITY WITH WX, TERRAIN AND ARPT PROBABLY COMBINED TO CLOUD PLT'S JUDGEMENT. IN RETROSPECT, I WAS NOT PROUD OF MY DECISION TO PROCEED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE CANCELLED IFR AFTER MISSED APCH AND REMAINED VFR DURING MANEUVERING AND APCH TO LNDG. NEVER FELT SITUATION WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE HE WAS TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH AREA. WOULD NEVER HAVE CONSIDERED SUCH A PROC IN UNKNOWN TERRITORY. USED HWY 101 AS GUIDE TO STAY AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL AREA SO AS NOT TO DISTURB POPULATED AREAS IN ADDITION TO USING LOWER PWR SETTINGS. VISIBILITY BELOW THE OVCST WAS SUCH THAT ARPT WAS IN SIGHT DURING ENTIRE PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.