Flight into uncontrolled airport VFR questioned by FSS as IFR conditions.

Attributes
ACN	113533
Time
Date	198906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oga
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3279 msl bound upper : 4100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oga
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 18
ASRS Report	113533
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I requested and received a WX report for the ogallala area. The WX in sidney to the east was good VFR with 20,000 scattered and 60 mi of visibility. North platte had fog and was IFR. No report for ogallala. I decided to continue eastward and see if the fog began before or after ogallala. 20 mi southeast there was a scattered layer of clouds extending to the east. I elected to climb above the clouds from my 5500 MSL altitude to 9500 MSL. Above brule, nebraska (6 NM west of ogallala) I descended to 4100' MSL between the scattered clouds. I called the ogallala unicom and asked, 'can I get in there VFR?' the operator said, 'I think so. There are some hanging clouds over the airport.' though I am a current instrument rated pilot I judged the WX to be VFR so I continued eastward at 4100' MSL until reaching the airport. I was able to stay, by my judgement, 500' below and 2000' horizontally from the clouds. The visibility was about 5 mi. When the airport was in sight I called on unicom and asked for the winds. Proceeded to make a normal approach and landing. Searle field has no control zone or control tower and is located in the middle of a transition area thus my 4100' MSL altitude put me at about 820' AGL, the bottom of controled airspace. After landing I called columbus FSS to close my flight plan. The briefer asked, 'how did you get in there?' I replied, 'it was about 700.' he must have assumed that 700 was the height of a ceiling. The clouds were higher than I was and I was at 4100' MSL so the height of the scattered layer must have been 1000' AGL. He said, 'that is IFR'. It is my understanding when below 700' AGL one needs only 1 mi visibility and to be clear of the clouds. I abided by these rules by not going directly under the 1000' AGL clouds. After talking to the briefer I asked the FBO operator, 'do you think it's VFR?' he looked outside again and said, 'yea.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INTO UNCONTROLLED ARPT VFR QUESTIONED BY FSS AS IFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A WX REPORT FOR THE OGALLALA AREA. THE WX IN SIDNEY TO THE EAST WAS GOOD VFR WITH 20,000 SCATTERED AND 60 MI OF VISIBILITY. NORTH PLATTE HAD FOG AND WAS IFR. NO REPORT FOR OGALLALA. I DECIDED TO CONTINUE EASTWARD AND SEE IF THE FOG BEGAN BEFORE OR AFTER OGALLALA. 20 MI SE THERE WAS A SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS EXTENDING TO THE EAST. I ELECTED TO CLIMB ABOVE THE CLOUDS FROM MY 5500 MSL ALT TO 9500 MSL. ABOVE BRULE, NEBRASKA (6 NM W OF OGALLALA) I DESCENDED TO 4100' MSL BETWEEN THE SCATTERED CLOUDS. I CALLED THE OGALLALA UNICOM AND ASKED, 'CAN I GET IN THERE VFR?' THE OPERATOR SAID, 'I THINK SO. THERE ARE SOME HANGING CLOUDS OVER THE ARPT.' THOUGH I AM A CURRENT INSTRUMENT RATED PLT I JUDGED THE WX TO BE VFR SO I CONTINUED EASTWARD AT 4100' MSL UNTIL REACHING THE ARPT. I WAS ABLE TO STAY, BY MY JUDGEMENT, 500' BELOW AND 2000' HORIZONTALLY FROM THE CLOUDS. THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 5 MI. WHEN THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT I CALLED ON UNICOM AND ASKED FOR THE WINDS. PROCEEDED TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. SEARLE FIELD HAS NO CTL ZONE OR CTL TWR AND IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRANSITION AREA THUS MY 4100' MSL ALT PUT ME AT ABOUT 820' AGL, THE BOTTOM OF CTLED AIRSPACE. AFTER LNDG I CALLED COLUMBUS FSS TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN. THE BRIEFER ASKED, 'HOW DID YOU GET IN THERE?' I REPLIED, 'IT WAS ABOUT 700.' HE MUST HAVE ASSUMED THAT 700 WAS THE HEIGHT OF A CEILING. THE CLOUDS WERE HIGHER THAN I WAS AND I WAS AT 4100' MSL SO THE HEIGHT OF THE SCATTERED LAYER MUST HAVE BEEN 1000' AGL. HE SAID, 'THAT IS IFR'. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN BELOW 700' AGL ONE NEEDS ONLY 1 MI VISIBILITY AND TO BE CLEAR OF THE CLOUDS. I ABIDED BY THESE RULES BY NOT GOING DIRECTLY UNDER THE 1000' AGL CLOUDS. AFTER TALKING TO THE BRIEFER I ASKED THE FBO OPERATOR, 'DO YOU THINK IT'S VFR?' HE LOOKED OUTSIDE AGAIN AND SAID, 'YEA.'

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.