Flew in IMC with an ATC clearance in an aircraft not certified for instrument flight.

Attributes
ACN	256510
Time
Date	199311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf
State Reference	VA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	256510
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had just received a currency in an IFR small aircraft and scheduled that aircraft for this flight. That aircraft went down for maintenance and another was substituted. I had not checked if this aircraft was IFR certified since I was only flying VFR. Upon arrival at orf with VFR conditions on downwind the tower visibility dropped to 2 1/2 mi. My reaction was to accept an ILS approach. A few mins later, I realized I hadn't checked the IFR status of this aircraft and was getting intermittent off flags on the ILS. So, I asked for vectors out of the control zone and back to VFR conditions. The aircraft I rented turned out not to be IFR certified.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLEW IN IMC WITH AN ATC CLRNC IN AN ACFT NOT CERTIFIED FOR INST FLT.

Narrative: I HAD JUST RECEIVED A CURRENCY IN AN IFR SMA AND SCHEDULED THAT ACFT FOR THIS FLT. THAT ACFT WENT DOWN FOR MAINT AND ANOTHER WAS SUBSTITUTED. I HAD NOT CHKED IF THIS ACFT WAS IFR CERTIFIED SINCE I WAS ONLY FLYING VFR. UPON ARR AT ORF WITH VFR CONDITIONS ON DOWNWIND THE TWR VISIBILITY DROPPED TO 2 1/2 MI. MY REACTION WAS TO ACCEPT AN ILS APCH. A FEW MINS LATER, I REALIZED I HADN'T CHKED THE IFR STATUS OF THIS ACFT AND WAS GETTING INTERMITTENT OFF FLAGS ON THE ILS. SO, I ASKED FOR VECTORS OUT OF THE CTL ZONE AND BACK TO VFR CONDITIONS. THE ACFT I RENTED TURNED OUT NOT TO BE IFR CERTIFIED.

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.