Narrative:

I firmly believe I heard 'cleared for ILS approach runway 28R'. Controller might have asked 'VFR or IFR?' when the request for the ILS was made. In the future, I will always include IFR in the requests for ILS apches. I could not find in the far or aim publication, that clearly defined an ILS clearance as automatic IFR clearance. 7/91, approximately xy:15 pm, en route from north bend, or, VFR on flight following to portland international, I requested of seattle center, after receiving ATIS information regarding 2500 ft scattered clouds, an ILS approach to runway 28R. Seattle center informed me approach would get me this clearance. After being handed off to approach, I once again requested the ILS runway 28R approach. The controller said the words 'cleared for the ILS approach, descend and maintain 2500 ft' and also I was on vectors. Hearing the words 'cleared for ILS approach runway 28R,' I assumed I had an ILS clearance and could then fly IFR. After entering clouds at 2500 ft, the controller then said to me, traffic at 2 O'clock. I quickly stated that I was in the clouds. She replied 'I have you VFR, are you qualified and are yoy equipped for IFR?' I responded 'affirmative'. She then replied 'maintain VFR.' at that moment I was clear of clouds over troutdale airport and over the columbia river. I reported to approach I would descend to 1500 ft and hold over the columbia until cleared IFR, I then reported to troutdale tower my position and intent. Within a couple of mins, portland approach vectored me to the ILS once again and I shot the approach and landed. After taxiing to the ramp and parked, I called approach from the plane and asked about the confusion. The controller wanted to review the tapes so I called again after reaching my hotel. The airport supervisor, no name available, said I never received an IFR clearance and that I needed an altitude, a heading and a clearance limit to constitute an IFR clearance. I had given both the altitude and heading and I assumed 'cleared for the ILS runway 28 right' was my clearance limit. (Ie, the airport). I have not heard from flight standards as of yet, nor have I reviewed the tape. To my knowledge, when entering into the clouds, I thought I had an IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON VFR FTL PLAN GOES IMC IN VFR FLT AS HE IS GIVEN APPROVAL FOR AN ILS APCH AT PDX.

Narrative: I FIRMLY BELIEVE I HEARD 'CLRED FOR ILS APCH RWY 28R'. CTLR MIGHT HAVE ASKED 'VFR OR IFR?' WHEN THE REQUEST FOR THE ILS WAS MADE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ALWAYS INCLUDE IFR IN THE REQUESTS FOR ILS APCHES. I COULD NOT FIND IN THE FAR OR AIM PUBLICATION, THAT CLRLY DEFINED AN ILS CLRNC AS AUTOMATIC IFR CLRNC. 7/91, APPROX XY:15 PM, ENRTE FROM NORTH BEND, OR, VFR ON FLT FOLLOWING TO PORTLAND INTL, I REQUESTED OF SEATTLE CTR, AFTER RECEIVING ATIS INFO REGARDING 2500 FT SCATTERED CLOUDS, AN ILS APCH TO RWY 28R. SEATTLE CTR INFORMED ME APCH WOULD GET ME THIS CLRNC. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO APCH, I ONCE AGAIN REQUESTED THE ILS RWY 28R APCH. THE CTLR SAID THE WORDS 'CLRED FOR THE ILS APCH, DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT' AND ALSO I WAS ON VECTORS. HEARING THE WORDS 'CLRED FOR ILS APCH RWY 28R,' I ASSUMED I HAD AN ILS CLRNC AND COULD THEN FLY IFR. AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS AT 2500 FT, THE CTLR THEN SAID TO ME, TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK. I QUICKLY STATED THAT I WAS IN THE CLOUDS. SHE REPLIED 'I HAVE YOU VFR, ARE YOU QUALIFIED AND ARE YOY EQUIPPED FOR IFR?' I RESPONDED 'AFFIRMATIVE'. SHE THEN REPLIED 'MAINTAIN VFR.' AT THAT MOMENT I WAS CLR OF CLOUDS OVER TROUTDALE ARPT AND OVER THE COLUMBIA RIVER. I RPTED TO APCH I WOULD DSND TO 1500 FT AND HOLD OVER THE COLUMBIA UNTIL CLRED IFR, I THEN RPTED TO TROUTDALE TWR MY POS AND INTENT. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINS, PORTLAND APCH VECTORED ME TO THE ILS ONCE AGAIN AND I SHOT THE APCH AND LANDED. AFTER TAXIING TO THE RAMP AND PARKED, I CALLED APCH FROM THE PLANE AND ASKED ABOUT THE CONFUSION. THE CTLR WANTED TO REVIEW THE TAPES SO I CALLED AGAIN AFTER REACHING MY HOTEL. THE ARPT SUPVR, NO NAME AVAILABLE, SAID I NEVER RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC AND THAT I NEEDED AN ALT, A HDG AND A CLRNC LIMIT TO CONSTITUTE AN IFR CLRNC. I HAD GIVEN BOTH THE ALT AND HDG AND I ASSUMED 'CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 28 R' WAS MY CLRNC LIMIT. (IE, THE ARPT). I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM FLT STANDARDS AS OF YET, NOR HAVE I REVIEWED THE TAPE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHEN ENTERING INTO THE CLOUDS, I THOUGHT I HAD AN IFR CLRNC.

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.