Low time small aircraft pilot enters control zone in MVFR to less than VFR WX.

Attributes
ACN	123251
Time
Date	198909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : brd
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp tower : cll
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 82 flight time type : 82
ASRS Report	123251
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On sep/wed/89, a friend and I (both of us being private pilots) flew an small aircraft from crystal airport to brainard airport and landed. The forecasted WX for our arrival time is as follows: ceiling 2000 broken occasional ceiling 1000 broken, chance of 5 mi visibility due to rain and light fog. Outlook MVFR. At 6 mi southeast of brainard airport I contacted the unicom and asked for a traffic advisory. Unicom told us the altimeter setting, the wind direction and velocity, and the favoring runway. Nothing was said about the control zone being in effect. Also I did not notice any rotating beacon, so I thought it was MVFR. Approximately 2-3 mi southeast of the airport, I had the airport in sight. I then reported that I would enter left base for runway 12 full stop, and DDD from 1000' AGL to 800' AGL pattern altitude. I had 5-6 mi visibility and the ceiling was 500-600' above me. After landing the DOT at the airport said we should have asked for a special VFR clearance and then asked to see one of our pilot certificates. I showed him mine and he copied down my name and address. He then told me the WX at the time was estimated 600' AGL broken and that I entered the control zone without clearance. To correct the situation in the future I will go through the proper channels if the WX looks marginal. Also until I obtain an instrument rating I will stay clear of control zones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME SMA PLT ENTERS CTL ZONE IN MVFR TO LESS THAN VFR WX.

Narrative: ON SEP/WED/89, A FRIEND AND I (BOTH OF US BEING PRIVATE PLTS) FLEW AN SMA FROM CRYSTAL ARPT TO BRAINARD ARPT AND LANDED. THE FORECASTED WX FOR OUR ARR TIME IS AS FOLLOWS: CEILING 2000 BROKEN OCCASIONAL CEILING 1000 BROKEN, CHANCE OF 5 MI VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN AND LIGHT FOG. OUTLOOK MVFR. AT 6 MI SE OF BRAINARD ARPT I CONTACTED THE UNICOM AND ASKED FOR A TFC ADVISORY. UNICOM TOLD US THE ALTIMETER SETTING, THE WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY, AND THE FAVORING RWY. NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT THE CTL ZONE BEING IN EFFECT. ALSO I DID NOT NOTICE ANY ROTATING BEACON, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS MVFR. APPROX 2-3 MI SE OF THE ARPT, I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I THEN REPORTED THAT I WOULD ENTER LEFT BASE FOR RWY 12 FULL STOP, AND DDD FROM 1000' AGL TO 800' AGL PATTERN ALT. I HAD 5-6 MI VISIBILITY AND THE CEILING WAS 500-600' ABOVE ME. AFTER LNDG THE DOT AT THE ARPT SAID WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC AND THEN ASKED TO SEE ONE OF OUR PLT CERTIFICATES. I SHOWED HIM MINE AND HE COPIED DOWN MY NAME AND ADDRESS. HE THEN TOLD ME THE WX AT THE TIME WAS ESTIMATED 600' AGL BROKEN AND THAT I ENTERED THE CTL ZONE WITHOUT CLRNC. TO CORRECT THE SITUATION IN THE FUTURE I WILL GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS IF THE WX LOOKS MARGINAL. ALSO UNTIL I OBTAIN AN INSTRUMENT RATING I WILL STAY CLEAR OF CTL ZONES.

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.