A part 135 air carrier found itself VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	283745
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hya
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hya
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	approach : contact
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	283745
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ceiling was 5000 ft overcast, however, also 700 thin broken layer. Saw hole and got visual, actually 700 ft broken. On left base to runway 24, got as low as 500 ft to avoid clouds. Captain did ask if I wanted visual and I said yes. Bad choice. Captain said to keep it below clouds, however, I told him that if we get too low, we could get reported by someone. Landed without further incident. Not a smart operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PART 135 ACR FOUND ITSELF VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: CEILING WAS 5000 FT OVCST, HOWEVER, ALSO 700 THIN BROKEN LAYER. SAW HOLE AND GOT VISUAL, ACTUALLY 700 FT BROKEN. ON L BASE TO RWY 24, GOT AS LOW AS 500 FT TO AVOID CLOUDS. CAPT DID ASK IF I WANTED VISUAL AND I SAID YES. BAD CHOICE. CAPT SAID TO KEEP IT BELOW CLOUDS, HOWEVER, I TOLD HIM THAT IF WE GET TOO LOW, WE COULD GET RPTED BY SOMEONE. LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NOT A SMART OP.

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.