A private small aircraft pilot went through a hole in broken clouds. On his return, after the tower had closed, he found no clouds at all even though ict FSS was reporting 100 ft overcast. Ict FSS said that he was operating illegally.

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Attributes
ACN	227760
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ddc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	227760
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	227761
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Filed VFR cos to ddc. 30 mi west ddc could clearly see airport beacon and lights of ddc. 20-30 mi west of ddc overheard ZKC telling air carrier that ddc was IFR with measured ceiling 100 ft. 10-15 mi west of ddc airport could see lead-in and runway lights that had been turned on by air carrier. 10 mi out called ict FSS to close flight plan. I was told of IFR conditions with measured ceiling 100 ft. Mentioned I was 10 west at 6500 ft and had airport clearly in sight. Made assumption that by providing FSS with current VFR conditions that the current observation would rescind any IFR restrictions. Since the ict FSS WX of record was IFR prior to my report to FSS, I am notifying NASA of the discrepancy between the observed and recorded conditions. Supplemental information from acn 227761: filed VFR ddc to cos about XA30. They said ceiling 600 ft at ddc airport. While preparing for flight, WX kept improving. Ceiling became broken and appeared to be lifting. Took off, climbed through broken area to 6500 ft. Opened flight plan and was told by ict FSS that had taken off illegally because didn't have SVFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT SMA PLT WENT THROUGH A HOLE IN BROKEN CLOUDS. ON HIS RETURN, AFTER THE TWR HAD CLOSED, HE FOUND NO CLOUDS AT ALL EVEN THOUGH ICT FSS WAS RPTING 100 FT OVCST. ICT FSS SAID THAT HE WAS OPERATING ILLEGALLY.

Narrative: FILED VFR COS TO DDC. 30 MI W DDC COULD CLRLY SEE ARPT BEACON AND LIGHTS OF DDC. 20-30 MI W OF DDC OVERHEARD ZKC TELLING ACR THAT DDC WAS IFR WITH MEASURED CEILING 100 FT. 10-15 MI W OF DDC ARPT COULD SEE LEAD-IN AND RWY LIGHTS THAT HAD BEEN TURNED ON BY ACR. 10 MI OUT CALLED ICT FSS TO CLOSE FLT PLAN. I WAS TOLD OF IFR CONDITIONS WITH MEASURED CEILING 100 FT. MENTIONED I WAS 10 W AT 6500 FT AND HAD ARPT CLRLY IN SIGHT. MADE ASSUMPTION THAT BY PROVIDING FSS WITH CURRENT VFR CONDITIONS THAT THE CURRENT OBSERVATION WOULD RESCIND ANY IFR RESTRICTIONS. SINCE THE ICT FSS WX OF RECORD WAS IFR PRIOR TO MY RPT TO FSS, I AM NOTIFYING NASA OF THE DISCREPANCY BTWN THE OBSERVED AND RECORDED CONDITIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 227761: FILED VFR DDC TO COS ABOUT XA30. THEY SAID CEILING 600 FT AT DDC ARPT. WHILE PREPARING FOR FLT, WX KEPT IMPROVING. CEILING BECAME BROKEN AND APPEARED TO BE LIFTING. TOOK OFF, CLBED THROUGH BROKEN AREA TO 6500 FT. OPENED FLT PLAN AND WAS TOLD BY ICT FSS THAT HAD TAKEN OFF ILLEGALLY BECAUSE DIDN'T HAVE SVFR.

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.