Narrative:

On feb/xx/90 I fast filed an IFR, oly direct mvn. I had obtained a briefing from flight service and they indicated that the bases to be about 1000'. I departed thinking that I would be able to contact center and obtain an IFR clearance before reaching IFR conditions. Between the time of departure and reaching the cloud bases I had contacted center and the controller indicated that an IFR clearance could not be issued until I reached 2500'. That level was not attainable VFR, therefore I made the decision to return to oly and obtain a void clearance. Just seconds past between communications, momentarily after initial verbal contact, the controller asked if I was VFR. At the time of the question I was in a low level of scud. Rather than lie or stretch the truth I simply said negative. I never lost sight of the ground or the airport and I remained within the vicinity of the airport. I indicated to the controller that I was returning to oly, I had evidently returned to below the required altitude necessary for communication, because center did not acknowledge my intent. I was on final, approximately 100' from touchdown, when I heard center declare an emergency and I was instructed to climb and maintain 4000'. I disregarded the center's instructions because I felt that landing would be a more appropriate procedure than continuing under a declared emergency. Fortunately there was another aircraft, on the same frequency that aided in relaying that I had landed at oly. He also gave me instructions to check with flight service immediately which I did. I also at that point chose to reschedule the flight and cancelled my IFR flight plan with flight service. I was also contacted by GADO, shortly after the incident and I explained my actions to him.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC IN TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: ON FEB/XX/90 I FAST FILED AN IFR, OLY DIRECT MVN. I HAD OBTAINED A BRIEFING FROM FLT SERVICE AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE BASES TO BE ABOUT 1000'. I DEPARTED THINKING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTACT CENTER AND OBTAIN AN IFR CLRNC BEFORE REACHING IFR CONDITIONS. BETWEEN THE TIME OF DEP AND REACHING THE CLOUD BASES I HAD CONTACTED CENTER AND THE CTLR INDICATED THAT AN IFR CLRNC COULD NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL I REACHED 2500'. THAT LEVEL WAS NOT ATTAINABLE VFR, THEREFORE I MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO OLY AND OBTAIN A VOID CLRNC. JUST SECONDS PAST BETWEEN COMS, MOMENTARILY AFTER INITIAL VERBAL CONTACT, THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS VFR. AT THE TIME OF THE QUESTION I WAS IN A LOW LEVEL OF SCUD. RATHER THAN LIE OR STRETCH THE TRUTH I SIMPLY SAID NEGATIVE. I NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE GND OR THE ARPT AND I REMAINED WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. I INDICATED TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS RETURNING TO OLY, I HAD EVIDENTLY RETURNED TO BELOW THE REQUIRED ALT NECESSARY FOR COM, BECAUSE CENTER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY INTENT. I WAS ON FINAL, APPROX 100' FROM TOUCHDOWN, WHEN I HEARD CENTER DECLARE AN EMER AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. I DISREGARDED THE CENTER'S INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE I FELT THAT LNDG WOULD BE A MORE APPROPRIATE PROC THAN CONTINUING UNDER A DECLARED EMER. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT, ON THE SAME FREQ THAT AIDED IN RELAYING THAT I HAD LANDED AT OLY. HE ALSO GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO CHECK WITH FLT SERVICE IMMEDIATELY WHICH I DID. I ALSO AT THAT POINT CHOSE TO RESCHEDULE THE FLT AND CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH FLT SERVICE. I WAS ALSO CONTACTED BY GADO, SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT AND I EXPLAINED MY ACTIONS TO HIM.

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.