Narrative:

I was flying from lafayette, in to indianapolis for the purpose of taking the CFI practical test. A cold front had passed about an hour earlier, conditions were clearing behind it. All available WX information (obtained via duat) indicated VMC at the present and continuing with conditions steadily improving after frontal passage. This seemed to be the case as lafayette was clear when I left. Upon entering the arsa the conditions deteriorated, ceilings were coming down, as was visibility. I verified for myself that the visibility was sufficient (3 miles) to remain VFR. I then began to concentrate on finding the field. The controller sensing my difficulty began giving me vectors to the final approach course. At this point I began to think that maybe I should obtain an IFR clearance, or special VFR. However, I was too busy trying to find the field. In general I find it hard to locate the airport even on the best of days, I could make out items on the ground at at least 3 mi away so I thought I had the necessary visibility to stay VFR. I finally found the airport and was lined up on final, just above the 'rabbit' RAIL lights, when the tower asked where I was, that he could not see me. A few seconds later he saw me. At this point I became worried that maybe the visibility was not what I thought it was. As I turned off the taxiway I tuned in ATIS again. They reported 2500' and 3 mi. I really became worried about it when the examiner who was supposed to give me the examination castigated me for flying those WX conditions and cancelled the test. I guess the moral of the story is to go ahead and get an IFR clearance if conditions are getting close to IMC. I don't think I violated any far's, I just think it would have been better to be on the safe side and get the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES THROUGH MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS BEHIND A FRONT AND GETS LOW ON APCH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM LAFAYETTE, IN TO INDIANAPOLIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING THE CFI PRACTICAL TEST. A COLD FRONT HAD PASSED ABOUT AN HOUR EARLIER, CONDITIONS WERE CLEARING BEHIND IT. ALL AVAILABLE WX INFO (OBTAINED VIA DUAT) INDICATED VMC AT THE PRESENT AND CONTINUING WITH CONDITIONS STEADILY IMPROVING AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS SEEMED TO BE THE CASE AS LAFAYETTE WAS CLEAR WHEN I LEFT. UPON ENTERING THE ARSA THE CONDITIONS DETERIORATED, CEILINGS WERE COMING DOWN, AS WAS VISIBILITY. I VERIFIED FOR MYSELF THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS SUFFICIENT (3 MILES) TO REMAIN VFR. I THEN BEGAN TO CONCENTRATE ON FINDING THE FIELD. THE CTLR SENSING MY DIFFICULTY BEGAN GIVING ME VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. AT THIS POINT I BEGAN TO THINK THAT MAYBE I SHOULD OBTAIN AN IFR CLRNC, OR SPECIAL VFR. HOWEVER, I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO FIND THE FIELD. IN GENERAL I FIND IT HARD TO LOCATE THE ARPT EVEN ON THE BEST OF DAYS, I COULD MAKE OUT ITEMS ON THE GND AT AT LEAST 3 MI AWAY SO I THOUGHT I HAD THE NECESSARY VISIBILITY TO STAY VFR. I FINALLY FOUND THE ARPT AND WAS LINED UP ON FINAL, JUST ABOVE THE 'RABBIT' RAIL LIGHTS, WHEN THE TWR ASKED WHERE I WAS, THAT HE COULD NOT SEE ME. A FEW SECONDS LATER HE SAW ME. AT THIS POINT I BECAME WORRIED THAT MAYBE THE VISIBILITY WAS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS. AS I TURNED OFF THE TXWY I TUNED IN ATIS AGAIN. THEY REPORTED 2500' AND 3 MI. I REALLY BECAME WORRIED ABOUT IT WHEN THE EXAMINER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME THE EXAM CASTIGATED ME FOR FLYING THOSE WX CONDITIONS AND CANCELLED THE TEST. I GUESS THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS TO GO AHEAD AND GET AN IFR CLRNC IF CONDITIONS ARE GETTING CLOSE TO IMC. I DON'T THINK I VIOLATED ANY FAR'S, I JUST THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND GET THE CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.