Narrative:

Aircraft was on a VFR flight from camarillo, ca, to watts -- woodland, ca with flight following being provided by mugu approach, ZLA and ZOA, stockton and then sacramento approach. WX conditions were 1200 ft overcast, 4 mi in fog with tops at 3200 ft and visibilities 40 plus mi on top. Checking in with sacramento approach, I requested a descent from 4500 ft, direct to the spers intersection for the VOR-a watts-woodland, full stop. I was cleared as requested and told to maintain VFR. A few mi later and about 10 mi south of spers, I was told to contact travis approach on 126.6. Checking in, I told travis that I was descending out of 4500 ft (altitude was about 4300 ft at the time of check-in) and heading direct spers. Travis reported radar contact, and cleared me for the VOR-a at watts-woodland, maintain at or above 2500 ft (instead of the 2600 ft on the plate) until established on the final approach course. I flew the approach as published and at meret intersection (the FAF) travis told me to squawk 1200 and switch to advisory. They did not tell me to cancel IFR when able or contact FSS when on deck to cancel IFR - a call I normally receive. I squawked 1200 even though I was in IMC conditions at the time. Passing 1000 ft and about 4 mi from watts-woodland and in VMC, I called travis and told them that I would like to cancel IFR and proceed VFR. At that time, they told me that I was never IFR. I then landed normally. I flew an approach in IMC conditions without ever being cleared for IFR, even though I thought I was cleared IFR. The problem seems to be either that I didn't clearly state my request to sacramento, sacramento didn't pass my request properly to travis, or travis didn't realize the WX conditions prevented the approach from being flown in VMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT GOES IMC IN VFR FLT WHILE IN A NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION. NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM CAMARILLO, CA, TO WATTS -- WOODLAND, CA WITH FLT FOLLOWING BEING PROVIDED BY MUGU APCH, ZLA AND ZOA, STOCKTON AND THEN SACRAMENTO APCH. WX CONDITIONS WERE 1200 FT OVCST, 4 MI IN FOG WITH TOPS AT 3200 FT AND VISIBILITIES 40 PLUS MI ON TOP. CHKING IN WITH SACRAMENTO APCH, I REQUESTED A DSCNT FROM 4500 FT, DIRECT TO THE SPERS INTXN FOR THE VOR-A WATTS-WOODLAND, FULL STOP. I WAS CLRED AS REQUESTED AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN VFR. A FEW MI LATER AND ABOUT 10 MI S OF SPERS, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TRAVIS APCH ON 126.6. CHKING IN, I TOLD TRAVIS THAT I WAS DSNDING OUT OF 4500 FT (ALT WAS ABOUT 4300 FT AT THE TIME OF CHK-IN) AND HDG DIRECT SPERS. TRAVIS RPTED RADAR CONTACT, AND CLRED ME FOR THE VOR-A AT WATTS-WOODLAND, MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 2500 FT (INSTEAD OF THE 2600 FT ON THE PLATE) UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE. I FLEW THE APCH AS PUBLISHED AND AT MERET INTXN (THE FAF) TRAVIS TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND SWITCH TO ADVISORY. THEY DID NOT TELL ME TO CANCEL IFR WHEN ABLE OR CONTACT FSS WHEN ON DECK TO CANCEL IFR - A CALL I NORMALLY RECEIVE. I SQUAWKED 1200 EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS AT THE TIME. PASSING 1000 FT AND ABOUT 4 MI FROM WATTS-WOODLAND AND IN VMC, I CALLED TRAVIS AND TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR. AT THAT TIME, THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS NEVER IFR. I THEN LANDED NORMALLY. I FLEW AN APCH IN IMC CONDITIONS WITHOUT EVER BEING CLRED FOR IFR, EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED IFR. THE PROB SEEMS TO BE EITHER THAT I DIDN'T CLRLY STATE MY REQUEST TO SACRAMENTO, SACRAMENTO DIDN'T PASS MY REQUEST PROPERLY TO TRAVIS, OR TRAVIS DIDN'T REALIZE THE WX CONDITIONS PREVENTED THE APCH FROM BEING FLOWN IN VMC.

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.