Non IFR rated private pilot flies IFR flight plan to destination airport for a practice run, runs in...

Attributes
ACN	232714
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	232714
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot is currently undergoing IFR instruction with an FAA certified IFR instructor. Pilot was scheduled to fly from fullerton to carlsbad on a pleasure trip. He decided to get IFR cross country practice and file an IFR flight plan. No instructor was present, but the pilot planned to fly VFR without the use of any visibility limiting device (hood). IFR clearance was granted and the trip commenced. VFR conditions were present throughout the route. Upon arrival into palomar's air traffic area, an ILS approach was initiated. At the eastern most end of the approach, the pilot saw clouds at an undetermined altitude. He asked for a lower altitude to ensure the avoidance of clouds. After informing ATC that he was a VFR pilot, he was given an altitude of 2800 ft which proved sufficient to stay clear of clouds. Upon landing, pilot was asked to contact san diego approach. He was then informed that an IFR clearance cannot be obtained by a VFR pilot. Instead, pilot should have asked for a practice IFR flight under VFR conditions. Pilot was unaware of this distinction, but will definitely follow the proper procedure in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON IFR RATED PVT PLT FLIES IFR FLT PLAN TO DEST ARPT FOR A PRACTICE RUN, RUNS INTO PROX OF CLOUDS.

Narrative: PLT IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING IFR INSTRUCTION WITH AN FAA CERTIFIED IFR INSTRUCTOR. PLT WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM FULLERTON TO CARLSBAD ON A PLEASURE TRIP. HE DECIDED TO GET IFR XCOUNTRY PRACTICE AND FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN. NO INSTRUCTOR WAS PRESENT, BUT THE PLT PLANNED TO FLY VFR WITHOUT THE USE OF ANY VISIBILITY LIMITING DEVICE (HOOD). IFR CLRNC WAS GRANTED AND THE TRIP COMMENCED. VFR CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE RTE. UPON ARR INTO PALOMAR'S ATA, AN ILS APCH WAS INITIATED. AT THE EASTERN MOST END OF THE APCH, THE PLT SAW CLOUDS AT AN UNDETERMINED ALT. HE ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT TO ENSURE THE AVOIDANCE OF CLOUDS. AFTER INFORMING ATC THAT HE WAS A VFR PLT, HE WAS GIVEN AN ALT OF 2800 FT WHICH PROVED SUFFICIENT TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. UPON LNDG, PLT WAS ASKED TO CONTACT SAN DIEGO APCH. HE WAS THEN INFORMED THAT AN IFR CLRNC CANNOT BE OBTAINED BY A VFR PLT. INSTEAD, PLT SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A PRACTICE IFR FLT UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. PLT WAS UNAWARE OF THIS DISTINCTION, BUT WILL DEFINITELY FOLLOW THE PROPER PROC IN THE FUTURE.

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.

Non IFR rated private pilot flies IFR flight plan to destination airport for a practice run, runs into proximity of clouds.