Narrative:

The flight was an IFR trip from beh to cgx. Even though cgx was VFR it was necessary to fly an approach to either mdw or gyy to VFR conditions below the clouds, cancel IFR and fly to cgx under VFR. South bend departure gave us this choice while on the ground at beh. I chose to fly the approach to gyy since it more nearly conformed to our route of flight. En route, the first officer acquired the ATIS from both mdw and cgx. Cgx ATIS reported 1000' overcast with 4 mi visibility and haze. Mdw reported 500' broken with 5 mi and haze. The approach to gyy proceeded and at 1200', with ground contact, I cancelled IFR. Gyy tower issued a SVFR clearance out of the control zone. I turned right to exit the gyy air traffic area and control zone. The haze became worse and it was apparently that I was in and out of clouds. The gyy tower asked about the clouds in our area and the first officer replied they were about 1400' MSL. While in the turn and trying to fly visually, I had climbed to nearly 1500' MSL. I then found we were on top of the overcast at 1500' and outside the control zone. Over lake michigan it was possible to descend in visibility conditions below the clouds and fly to cgx. Later, while analyzing the sequence F events, I determined that we did not have the ATIS at gyy when we flew the ILS to that airport. I did not anticipate the need for a SVFR clearance to exit the control zone and, distracted by the lower than anticipated visibility (4 mi at cgx and 5 mi at mdw), climbed into and through the overcast. Fortunately the cloud cover was along the shoreline and variable with breaks further out from the shore, thus enabling me to proceed clear of clouds. Failure to have the ATIS at gyy prior to flying the approach and influenced by better visibilities at both cgx and mdw led me into a situation I did not anticipate. As usual, distrs tend to compound and lead to other problems. I was fortunate in that VFR conditions were nearby and I could avoid further cloud penetration while operating VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS AN IFR TRIP FROM BEH TO CGX. EVEN THOUGH CGX WAS VFR IT WAS NECESSARY TO FLY AN APCH TO EITHER MDW OR GYY TO VFR CONDITIONS BELOW THE CLOUDS, CANCEL IFR AND FLY TO CGX UNDER VFR. SOUTH BEND DEP GAVE US THIS CHOICE WHILE ON THE GND AT BEH. I CHOSE TO FLY THE APCH TO GYY SINCE IT MORE NEARLY CONFORMED TO OUR RTE OF FLT. ENRTE, THE F/O ACQUIRED THE ATIS FROM BOTH MDW AND CGX. CGX ATIS RPTED 1000' OVCST WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY AND HAZE. MDW RPTED 500' BROKEN WITH 5 MI AND HAZE. THE APCH TO GYY PROCEEDED AND AT 1200', WITH GND CONTACT, I CANCELLED IFR. GYY TWR ISSUED A SVFR CLRNC OUT OF THE CTL ZONE. I TURNED RIGHT TO EXIT THE GYY ATA AND CTL ZONE. THE HAZE BECAME WORSE AND IT WAS APPARENTLY THAT I WAS IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. THE GYY TWR ASKED ABOUT THE CLOUDS IN OUR AREA AND THE F/O REPLIED THEY WERE ABOUT 1400' MSL. WHILE IN THE TURN AND TRYING TO FLY VISUALLY, I HAD CLBED TO NEARLY 1500' MSL. I THEN FOUND WE WERE ON TOP OF THE OVCST AT 1500' AND OUTSIDE THE CTL ZONE. OVER LAKE MICHIGAN IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DSND IN VIS CONDITIONS BELOW THE CLOUDS AND FLY TO CGX. LATER, WHILE ANALYZING THE SEQUENCE F EVENTS, I DETERMINED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE ATIS AT GYY WHEN WE FLEW THE ILS TO THAT ARPT. I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR A SVFR CLRNC TO EXIT THE CTL ZONE AND, DISTRACTED BY THE LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED VISIBILITY (4 MI AT CGX AND 5 MI AT MDW), CLBED INTO AND THROUGH THE OVCST. FORTUNATELY THE CLOUD COVER WAS ALONG THE SHORELINE AND VARIABLE WITH BREAKS FURTHER OUT FROM THE SHORE, THUS ENABLING ME TO PROCEED CLR OF CLOUDS. FAILURE TO HAVE THE ATIS AT GYY PRIOR TO FLYING THE APCH AND INFLUENCED BY BETTER VISIBILITIES AT BOTH CGX AND MDW LED ME INTO A SITUATION I DID NOT ANTICIPATE. AS USUAL, DISTRS TEND TO COMPOUND AND LEAD TO OTHER PROBS. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT VFR CONDITIONS WERE NEARBY AND I COULD AVOID FURTHER CLOUD PENETRATION WHILE OPERATING VFR.

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.