Narrative:

Upon arrival in the vicinity of bloomington, il, (within 15 mi) I spotted the WX cell flight watch warned of. I called bmi tower and was informed bmi is about to go IFR. They also said to report over the interstate, about 3 mi out, I did that. I was informed to clear the control zone. I did that; about 5 mi northwest over diamond STAR motors. I informed tower, 'at 2400' circling right, and had runway 11 in sight.' tower again informed me to stay out of control zone. I did. After about 270 degree into my first circle, tower cleared me to land, runway 11. I set up my approach, made my landing, and taxied to the hangar. About 10 mins after 'hangaring', a gentleman approached us, identify himself as ATC personnel and informed me that an illegal landing had been made because I did not request a special VFR. Apparently parts of the control zone were still ofr, though the airstrip itself was not (in my opinion). He said he brought us in (another light aircraft) because he judged it safer than leaving us circling out there. No immediate or evasive action was taken (except this form) at that time. Basically, the conditions under which a 'special' is requested had been only theory up till now. I never made the request before. I believe this situation occurred because I was more intent on following ATC directions and noting the curtain of rain north of the airfield, and keeping ATC informed of my position, than I was of realizing I had an offensive tool I could have used. I was not thoroughly familiar with the power and uses of this tool under real conditions. I have not attended one of fsdos ongoing safety seminars, only the annual ones. That and regular review of FARS aim would be a good start.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FAILS TO REQUEST SPECIAL VFR INTO BELOW VFR ARPT.

Narrative: UPON ARR IN THE VICINITY OF BLOOMINGTON, IL, (WITHIN 15 MI) I SPOTTED THE WX CELL FLT WATCH WARNED OF. I CALLED BMI TWR AND WAS INFORMED BMI IS ABOUT TO GO IFR. THEY ALSO SAID TO RPT OVER THE INTERSTATE, ABOUT 3 MI OUT, I DID THAT. I WAS INFORMED TO CLR THE CTL ZONE. I DID THAT; ABOUT 5 MI NW OVER DIAMOND STAR MOTORS. I INFORMED TWR, 'AT 2400' CIRCLING R, AND HAD RWY 11 IN SIGHT.' TWR AGAIN INFORMED ME TO STAY OUT OF CTL ZONE. I DID. AFTER ABOUT 270 DEG INTO MY FIRST CIRCLE, TWR CLRED ME TO LAND, RWY 11. I SET UP MY APCH, MADE MY LNDG, AND TAXIED TO THE HANGAR. ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER 'HANGARING', A GENTLEMAN APCHED US, IDENT HIMSELF AS ATC PERSONNEL AND INFORMED ME THAT AN ILLEGAL LNDG HAD BEEN MADE BECAUSE I DID NOT REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR. APPARENTLY PARTS OF THE CTL ZONE WERE STILL OFR, THOUGH THE AIRSTRIP ITSELF WAS NOT (IN MY OPINION). HE SAID HE BROUGHT US IN (ANOTHER LIGHT ACFT) BECAUSE HE JUDGED IT SAFER THAN LEAVING US CIRCLING OUT THERE. NO IMMEDIATE OR EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN (EXCEPT THIS FORM) AT THAT TIME. BASICALLY, THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A 'SPECIAL' IS REQUESTED HAD BEEN ONLY THEORY UP TILL NOW. I NEVER MADE THE REQUEST BEFORE. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE I WAS MORE INTENT ON FOLLOWING ATC DIRECTIONS AND NOTING THE CURTAIN OF RAIN N OF THE AIRFIELD, AND KEEPING ATC INFORMED OF MY POS, THAN I WAS OF REALIZING I HAD AN OFFENSIVE TOOL I COULD HAVE USED. I WAS NOT THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PWR AND USES OF THIS TOOL UNDER REAL CONDITIONS. I HAVE NOT ATTENDED ONE OF FSDOS ONGOING SAFETY SEMINARS, ONLY THE ANNUAL ONES. THAT AND REGULAR REVIEW OF FARS AIM WOULD BE A GOOD START.

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.