Narrative:

I am a VFR pilot working toward my instrument rating. I was practicing nob approachs at sacramento executive under what I thought was a special VFR clearance. I performed approximately 5 missed approachs in VFR on top outside the control zone. The visibility at the airport was 2 3/4. The problem developed on my last approach. I did the missed procedure and contacted ATC. They gave me instructions that would have put me in IFR. I asked for a clearance that would keep me in uncontrolled airspace. The conflicting requests lead to misunderstanding ATC, unknown to me had me in an IFR clearance so they could not understand why I was requesting uncontrolled airspace. The conversations and my confusion lead me to lose concentration and I missed my vector by approximately 45 degree. The miss put mr near the final approach course. The root of the problem was a VFR pilot practicing an IFR procedure and not making it clear that the procedure must stay VFR. ATC assumed since it was an instrument procedure that I must be requesting an IFR clearance and gave me one. The regulation on practice instrument approachs must be made more clear so misunderstandings do not occur. My instructor had not known how to ask for instrument practice and not receive an IFR clearance. Student pilots need clear advice on the practice portion of IFR training. In retrospect I can see that many times, without my intent, I have been operating under IFR clrncs without my rating because I did not know what to ask for.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PLT PRACTICING IFR APCHS BELIEVING ON SVFR FLT PLAN. ATC HAS HIM IFR.

Narrative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

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.