Narrative:

VFR from slc to vel, ut, over vel three was a thin layer of clouds lying over the immediate area so I called vel unicom and got an airport advisory -- unicom called it VFR, no other reported traffic. So I decided to start down the approach path and look for an opening to descend through (never intending to penetrate or go IFR). I started calling out 'skyhawk X bongo intersection inbound at 10000 landing vel' 5 mi south of the VOR at 9000 ft. Then a twin cessna came though with '8 mi from the VOR at 10000 ft inbound to the VOR.' so I said ' small aircraft X is approaching the VOR at 9000 ft.' they asked me again my position and I told them 9000 ft, 3 mi from the VOR inbound on the approach (which technically I wasn't on the approach but on the 142 degree radial which the approach uses but at a different altitude). The twin came back and said 'we are on the approach with an IFR clearance. Do you have a clearance?' I said, 'no, I'm VFR.' they then asked my intentions and by this time I was nervous thinking they were going to descend on top of me so I suggested I would do a 360 degree southeast and come back inbound, which they stated 'would be a good idea!' in the end it has come to my attention that it was the FAA flying the twin and they have contacted me at home and asked the question what was I doing up above the clouds with them? I restated I was VFR. They told me I should have been monitoring center not just unicom and not trying to find a 'hole to slide through.' they said I wasn't practicing safety. I can see how monitoring center would indeed improve safety however what if I only had 1 radio? Also I wasn't looking for a 'hole to slip through.' I was looking of a clearing large enough to descend through VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A SMA SEL GAVE WAY TO ANOTHER ACFT WITH AN IFR APCH CLRNC WHILE VFR.

Narrative: VFR FROM SLC TO VEL, UT, OVER VEL THREE WAS A THIN LAYER OF CLOUDS LYING OVER THE IMMEDIATE AREA SO I CALLED VEL UNICOM AND GOT AN ARPT ADVISORY -- UNICOM CALLED IT VFR, NO OTHER RPTED TFC. SO I DECIDED TO START DOWN THE APCH PATH AND LOOK FOR AN OPENING TO DSND THROUGH (NEVER INTENDING TO PENETRATE OR GO IFR). I STARTED CALLING OUT 'SKYHAWK X BONGO INTXN INBOUND AT 10000 LNDG VEL' 5 MI S OF THE VOR AT 9000 FT. THEN A TWIN CESSNA CAME THOUGH WITH '8 MI FROM THE VOR AT 10000 FT INBOUND TO THE VOR.' SO I SAID ' SMA X IS APCHING THE VOR AT 9000 FT.' THEY ASKED ME AGAIN MY POS AND I TOLD THEM 9000 FT, 3 MI FROM THE VOR INBOUND ON THE APCH (WHICH TECHNICALLY I WASN'T ON THE APCH BUT ON THE 142 DEG RADIAL WHICH THE APCH USES BUT AT A DIFFERENT ALT). THE TWIN CAME BACK AND SAID 'WE ARE ON THE APCH WITH AN IFR CLRNC. DO YOU HAVE A CLRNC?' I SAID, 'NO, I'M VFR.' THEY THEN ASKED MY INTENTIONS AND BY THIS TIME I WAS NERVOUS THINKING THEY WERE GOING TO DSND ON TOP OF ME SO I SUGGESTED I WOULD DO A 360 DEG SE AND COME BACK INBOUND, WHICH THEY STATED 'WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA!' IN THE END IT HAS COME TO MY ATTN THAT IT WAS THE FAA FLYING THE TWIN AND THEY HAVE CONTACTED ME AT HOME AND ASKED THE QUESTION WHAT WAS I DOING UP ABOVE THE CLOUDS WITH THEM? I RESTATED I WAS VFR. THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MONITORING CTR NOT JUST UNICOM AND NOT TRYING TO FIND A 'HOLE TO SLIDE THROUGH.' THEY SAID I WASN'T PRACTICING SAFETY. I CAN SEE HOW MONITORING CTR WOULD INDEED IMPROVE SAFETY HOWEVER WHAT IF I ONLY HAD 1 RADIO? ALSO I WASN'T LOOKING FOR A 'HOLE TO SLIP THROUGH.' I WAS LOOKING OF A CLEARING LARGE ENOUGH TO DSND THROUGH VFR.

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.