Narrative:

Retired military officer, 23 yrs and 6000 plus hours, command pilot, prior C-5 flight examiner. Recently completed homebuilt experimental kitfox aircraft which I just began commuting to/from work (25 NM). I fly from a private, uncontrolled grass airstrip (arrowhead) to the uncontrolled (no tower) city of alice airport class east airspace. I flew into alice airport airspace and landed at alice announcing my position and intentions on 123.0 CTAF frequency. I did not verify alice WX as VFR conditions and did not request a special VFR clearance for entering alice class east airspace (visibility was better than 7 mi and ceiling was ragged). My flight time was 20 mins and 5 mins for VFR approach and landing. I flew the VFR pattern at 200 ft below normal (800 ft AGL vice 1000 ft) to maintain clearance below clouds. After uneventful landing, I reviewed far 91.157 special VFR WX minimums. I should have requested a special VFR ATC clearance prior to entering alice class east airspace to preclude operating in controled airspace with WX (ceiling) below required minimums. The vast majority of my flying experience is in IFR certified aircraft as an instrument certified pilot. I mistakenly thought that these were requirements for special VFR operations. Rereading poorly written far 91.157 paragraph 64, I discovered IFR certification is required only for night special VFR operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLIES HOMEBUILT ACFT INTO WX BELOW MINIMUMS IN CTLED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: RETIRED MIL OFFICER, 23 YRS AND 6000 PLUS HRS, COMMAND PLT, PRIOR C-5 FLT EXAMINER. RECENTLY COMPLETED HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL KITFOX ACFT WHICH I JUST BEGAN COMMUTING TO/FROM WORK (25 NM). I FLY FROM A PVT, UNCTLED GRASS AIRSTRIP (ARROWHEAD) TO THE UNCTLED (NO TWR) CITY OF ALICE ARPT CLASS E AIRSPACE. I FLEW INTO ALICE ARPT AIRSPACE AND LANDED AT ALICE ANNOUNCING MY POS AND INTENTIONS ON 123.0 CTAF FREQ. I DID NOT VERIFY ALICE WX AS VFR CONDITIONS AND DID NOT REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC FOR ENTERING ALICE CLASS E AIRSPACE (VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 7 MI AND CEILING WAS RAGGED). MY FLT TIME WAS 20 MINS AND 5 MINS FOR VFR APCH AND LNDG. I FLEW THE VFR PATTERN AT 200 FT BELOW NORMAL (800 FT AGL VICE 1000 FT) TO MAINTAIN CLRNC BELOW CLOUDS. AFTER UNEVENTFUL LNDG, I REVIEWED FAR 91.157 SPECIAL VFR WX MINIMUMS. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR ATC CLRNC PRIOR TO ENTERING ALICE CLASS E AIRSPACE TO PRECLUDE OPERATING IN CTLED AIRSPACE WITH WX (CEILING) BELOW REQUIRED MINIMUMS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY FLYING EXPERIENCE IS IN IFR CERTIFIED ACFT AS AN INST CERTIFIED PLT. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT THESE WERE REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL VFR OPS. REREADING POORLY WRITTEN FAR 91.157 PARAGRAPH 64, I DISCOVERED IFR CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED ONLY FOR NIGHT SPECIAL VFR OPS.

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.