Small aircraft was issued a visual approach while pilot was in clouds.

Attributes
ACN	159626
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo airport : ilg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	159626
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Phl approach vectored aircraft for visibility approach to runway 19 to ilg. ATC instructed aircraft to descend to 1800' MSL cleared for visibility approach report field in sight. Aircraft reported field in sight. TRACON instructed aircraft to change to tower frequency 126.0. Aircraft changed frequency but still monitoring approach during descent to maintain contact with field and sep from clouds. Aircraft was descending from 1800' through a broken ceiling at 1500' to pattern altitude within 5 mi of airfield. Approach issued the aircraft a low altitude warning. The aircraft at the time was in the air traffic area at or above 1200' MSL. The aircraft established contact with the tower. The tower ask for the aircraft's position. The aft informed the tower it was on an 4.0 mi out for runway 19. The tower repeated that phl approach control had issued the aircraft a low altitude warning. The aircraft was cleared to land and completed landing on runway 19.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA WAS ISSUED A VISUAL APCH WHILE PLT WAS IN CLOUDS.

Narrative: PHL APCH VECTORED ACFT FOR VIS APCH TO RWY 19 TO ILG. ATC INSTRUCTED ACFT TO DSND TO 1800' MSL CLRED FOR VIS APCH RPT FIELD IN SIGHT. ACFT RPTED FIELD IN SIGHT. TRACON INSTRUCTED ACFT TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ 126.0. ACFT CHANGED FREQ BUT STILL MONITORING APCH DURING DSNT TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH FIELD AND SEP FROM CLOUDS. ACFT WAS DSNDING FROM 1800' THROUGH A BROKEN CEILING AT 1500' TO PATTERN ALT WITHIN 5 MI OF AIRFIELD. APCH ISSUED THE ACFT A LOW ALT WARNING. THE ACFT AT THE TIME WAS IN THE ATA AT OR ABOVE 1200' MSL. THE ACFT ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE TWR. THE TWR ASK FOR THE ACFT'S POS. THE AFT INFORMED THE TWR IT WAS ON AN 4.0 MI OUT FOR RWY 19. THE TWR REPEATED THAT PHL APCH CTL HAD ISSUED THE ACFT A LOW ALT WARNING. THE ACFT WAS CLRED TO LAND AND COMPLETED LNDG ON RWY 19.

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.