Pilot filed IFR flight plan when unable to maintain VFR. Aircraft not certified.

Attributes
ACN	189674
Time
Date	199109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mgm tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 860 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	189674
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On VFR ferry flight from tx to sc. Had been stuck twice already because of WX. Was too eager to get home. Got stuck on top of a broken/overcast layer. In attempt to descend through a hole, discovered that it would be impossible to fly VFR below the cloud cover, climbed back on top and filed an IFR flight plan with FSS. Picked up clearance from montgomery approach and successfully completed following approach. Upon arrival in sc discovered that the airplane, although IFR equipped, was not IFR certified. I believe the cause of this event is twofold: 1) improper inspection of airplane logbooks (I did look for 100 hours ELT and annual inspection). I had not planned on flying actual IFR, so that's probably why I didn't look for it. 2) a severe case of get homeitis. Fortunately, I was IFR current and had no problems flying the aircraft on instruments.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FILED IFR FLT PLAN WHEN UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. ACFT NOT CERTIFIED.

Narrative: ON VFR FERRY FLT FROM TX TO SC. HAD BEEN STUCK TWICE ALREADY BECAUSE OF WX. WAS TOO EAGER TO GET HOME. GOT STUCK ON TOP OF A BROKEN/OVCST LAYER. IN ATTEMPT TO DSND THROUGH A HOLE, DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY VFR BELOW THE CLOUD COVER, CLBED BACK ON TOP AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS. PICKED UP CLRNC FROM MONTGOMERY APCH AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED FOLLOWING APCH. UPON ARR IN SC DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPLANE, ALTHOUGH IFR EQUIPPED, WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS TWOFOLD: 1) IMPROPER INSPECTION OF AIRPLANE LOGBOOKS (I DID LOOK FOR 100 HRS ELT AND ANNUAL INSPECTION). I HAD NOT PLANNED ON FLYING ACTUAL IFR, SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I DIDN'T LOOK FOR IT. 2) A SEVERE CASE OF GET HOMEITIS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IFR CURRENT AND HAD NO PROBLEMS FLYING THE ACFT ON INSTS.

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.