VFR flight in IMC for low time GA pilot.

Attributes
ACN	148772
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n71
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	148772
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flew VFR to donegal springs, PA. Airport is 2-3 NM north of susquehanna river. Upon crossing the river (from the south) to land at donegal, visibility deteriorated due to haze. As I was about to turn 180 degree because of deteriorating visibility the airport appeared below. I landed on runway 27 uneventfully. Upon landing, another pilot approached me and demanded to know how I had landed at ths airport IFR. He insisted WX/visibility was IFR, noting harrisburg approach (17 NM northwest of donegal) calling 2 mi visibility in haze. I had not been monitoring harrisburg approach since I was under the TRSA. Thinking back on this arrival and landing I made several mistakes. I should have monitored harrisburg for their visibility and flight handling at this airport (donegal has an IFR approach I'm told). I should have turned 180 degree west/O fail when IMC seemed likely and imminent. I was in a hurry to get there. I put myself in 'landing expectation' thought process. What really shook me the most about this arrival/landing is the possibility of colliding or interfering with IFR landing aircraft. I had made a 'bad' decision to continue toward my destination by using my LORAN to help me find the airport where the sunlight and haze reduced visibility. Lastly, there seems to be an unspoken rule about what constitutes 3 mi and VFR visibility. Since I've yet to meet an instrument who can demonstrate 3 mi visibility on a clear day, this judgement of what's VFR WX can be subjective. I feel I fell into this trap.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC FOR LOW TIME GA PLT.

Narrative: FLEW VFR TO DONEGAL SPRINGS, PA. ARPT IS 2-3 NM N OF SUSQUEHANNA RIVER. UPON XING THE RIVER (FROM THE S) TO LAND AT DONEGAL, VISIBILITY DETERIORATED DUE TO HAZE. AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN 180 DEG BECAUSE OF DETERIORATING VISIBILITY THE ARPT APPEARED BELOW. I LANDED ON RWY 27 UNEVENTFULLY. UPON LNDG, ANOTHER PLT APCHED ME AND DEMANDED TO KNOW HOW I HAD LANDED AT THS ARPT IFR. HE INSISTED WX/VISIBILITY WAS IFR, NOTING HARRISBURG APCH (17 NM NW OF DONEGAL) CALLING 2 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE. I HAD NOT BEEN MONITORING HARRISBURG APCH SINCE I WAS UNDER THE TRSA. THINKING BACK ON THIS ARR AND LNDG I MADE SEVERAL MISTAKES. I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED HARRISBURG FOR THEIR VISIBILITY AND FLT HANDLING AT THIS ARPT (DONEGAL HAS AN IFR APCH I'M TOLD). I SHOULD HAVE TURNED 180 DEG W/O FAIL WHEN IMC SEEMED LIKELY AND IMMINENT. I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET THERE. I PUT MYSELF IN 'LNDG EXPECTATION' THOUGHT PROCESS. WHAT REALLY SHOOK ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS ARR/LNDG IS THE POSSIBILITY OF COLLIDING OR INTERFERING WITH IFR LNDG ACFT. I HAD MADE A 'BAD' DECISION TO CONTINUE TOWARD MY DEST BY USING MY LORAN TO HELP ME FIND THE ARPT WHERE THE SUNLIGHT AND HAZE REDUCED VISIBILITY. LASTLY, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN UNSPOKEN RULE ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES 3 MI AND VFR VISIBILITY. SINCE I'VE YET TO MEET AN INSTR WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE 3 MI VISIBILITY ON A CLR DAY, THIS JUDGEMENT OF WHAT'S VFR WX CAN BE SUBJECTIVE. I FEEL I FELL INTO THIS TRAP.

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.