Small aircraft makes ILS approach without IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	272990
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 615 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	272990
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : clearance 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:

Returning to lgb from phx and lgb ATIS noted 9000 ft broken. Had inoperative transponder (was intermittent, then quit altogether) and was being vectored to runway 30 behind a king air. Approach said 'follow the king air' cleared for the approach, (I think) or 'follow the king air, second to land contact tower 119.4.' followed the king air from 3000 ft down to 2500 ft and flew the ILS but can't remember either asking for, or being told I was cleared for an ILS. Broke out at 2000 ft. Was IMC from roughly approximately 2700 ft through to approximately 2000 ft. Am instrument qualified and current. Just not sure if I was cleared for the ILS or not. Nothing was said on landing -- by tower or ground. P.south. Transponder goes in for repair tomorrow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES ILS APCH WITHOUT IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: RETURNING TO LGB FROM PHX AND LGB ATIS NOTED 9000 FT BROKEN. HAD INOP XPONDER (WAS INTERMITTENT, THEN QUIT ALTOGETHER) AND WAS BEING VECTORED TO RWY 30 BEHIND A KING AIR. APCH SAID 'FOLLOW THE KING AIR' CLRED FOR THE APCH, (I THINK) OR 'FOLLOW THE KING AIR, SECOND TO LAND CONTACT TWR 119.4.' FOLLOWED THE KING AIR FROM 3000 FT DOWN TO 2500 FT AND FLEW THE ILS BUT CAN'T REMEMBER EITHER ASKING FOR, OR BEING TOLD I WAS CLRED FOR AN ILS. BROKE OUT AT 2000 FT. WAS IMC FROM ROUGHLY APPROX 2700 FT THROUGH TO APPROX 2000 FT. AM INST QUALIFIED AND CURRENT. JUST NOT SURE IF I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS OR NOT. NOTHING WAS SAID ON LNDG -- BY TWR OR GND. P.S. XPONDER GOES IN FOR REPAIR TOMORROW.

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.