Narrative:

Pilot, busy with work, I had not flown in 6 weeks. A quick check of my logbook seemed to indicate I was no longer instrument current (a careful check later showed that I was in fact instrument current). Flew from a neighboring airport to islip, which was calling 800 scattered when I checked the WX by telephone just prior to takeoff. From the north the scattered layer seemed close to broken. I asked ny approach to allow flying the localizer in. When I was on the localizer, the controller advised that altitude was pilot's discretion. The mistake I made was, upon seeing a good size hole in the 800 ft scattered to broken layer, descending to 800 ft. The controller advised me of a tower ahead going up to 822 ft MSL. He suggested that I climb to 2000 ft. I climbed as requested, and had to make many turns to avoid clouds. I was again advised of another tower at 600 plus ft as I later descended. I saw it and avoided it. When I was turned over to the tower, at the airport, they advised that there were 2 additional towers along my route. I had these in sight and passed between them. I may have been closer than 2000 ft, as required if not 1000 ft above. In any event, I landed without incident. I did several things wrong: should have picked a better day to get started flying after a 6 week break. Should have done an instrument approach and looked for an opening near airports, should have checked my logbook carefully. I could have filed IFR into islip and done a standard instrument approach instead of tracking the localizer and scud running. Should try harder to maintain instrument currency at all times. I worked hard for the rating and should use it as it is the safest way to fly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA SEL DSNDED BELOW THE LEGAL MSA DURING A VISUAL APCH IN BROKEN TO SCATTERED CLOUDS RESULTING IN COMING IN CLOSE PROX TO SEVERAL HIGH TWRS.

Narrative: PLT, BUSY WITH WORK, I HAD NOT FLOWN IN 6 WKS. A QUICK CHK OF MY LOGBOOK SEEMED TO INDICATE I WAS NO LONGER INST CURRENT (A CAREFUL CHK LATER SHOWED THAT I WAS IN FACT INST CURRENT). FLEW FROM A NEIGHBORING ARPT TO ISLIP, WHICH WAS CALLING 800 SCATTERED WHEN I CHKED THE WX BY TELEPHONE JUST PRIOR TO TKOF. FROM THE N THE SCATTERED LAYER SEEMED CLOSE TO BROKEN. I ASKED NY APCH TO ALLOW FLYING THE LOC IN. WHEN I WAS ON THE LOC, THE CTLR ADVISED THAT ALT WAS PLT'S DISCRETION. THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS, UPON SEEING A GOOD SIZE HOLE IN THE 800 FT SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYER, DSNDING TO 800 FT. THE CTLR ADVISED ME OF A TWR AHEAD GOING UP TO 822 FT MSL. HE SUGGESTED THAT I CLB TO 2000 FT. I CLBED AS REQUESTED, AND HAD TO MAKE MANY TURNS TO AVOID CLOUDS. I WAS AGAIN ADVISED OF ANOTHER TWR AT 600 PLUS FT AS I LATER DSNDED. I SAW IT AND AVOIDED IT. WHEN I WAS TURNED OVER TO THE TWR, AT THE ARPT, THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WERE 2 ADDITIONAL TWRS ALONG MY RTE. I HAD THESE IN SIGHT AND PASSED BTWN THEM. I MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSER THAN 2000 FT, AS REQUIRED IF NOT 1000 FT ABOVE. IN ANY EVENT, I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DID SEVERAL THINGS WRONG: SHOULD HAVE PICKED A BETTER DAY TO GET STARTED FLYING AFTER A 6 WK BREAK. SHOULD HAVE DONE AN INST APCH AND LOOKED FOR AN OPENING NEAR ARPTS, SHOULD HAVE CHKED MY LOGBOOK CAREFULLY. I COULD HAVE FILED IFR INTO ISLIP AND DONE A STANDARD INST APCH INSTEAD OF TRACKING THE LOC AND SCUD RUNNING. SHOULD TRY HARDER TO MAINTAIN INST CURRENCY AT ALL TIMES. I WORKED HARD FOR THE RATING AND SHOULD USE IT AS IT IS THE SAFEST WAY TO FLY.

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.