Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight from bli to S50. WX in the seattle area was below the 2000 ft MVA, so I opted to fly to my alternate, bfi. My intentions were to shoot the ILS runway 13R at bfi to get below the ceiling, and then proceed VFR south down the valley to S50. At that time, bfi was reporting 1300 ft overcast, visibility 2 mi in rain and fog. I received an SVFR south. I was told to maintain SVFR WX minimums and stay below 1000 ft, and to report when clear of boeing class D. Approximately 3 mi south of boeing, I switched to sea approach for flight following. I was maintaining 550-600 ft to remain clear of clouds. I reported I was clear of boeing class D and was told by sea approach to maintain VFR. I could not maintain 1000 ft above the congested area I was over and also maintain VFR. I chose to remain VFR in uncontrolled airspace below 700 ft AGL. The flight ended when I saw S50 and landed. The regulations are conflicting. Areas that are considered congested are not specifically charted. Also, for me to maintain 1000 ft AGL would have been entering IMC in controled airspace without a clearance. I flew down the valley over highway 167, so that in the event of an emergency, I had somewhere to go.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT RPTS THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AN FAR MSA AND VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CLRNCS WHILE PROCEEDING THROUGH CLASS G AIRSPACE TO THE FINAL DEST. AN INST APCH INTO A CLASS D ARPT WAS USED TO GET DOWN BELOW THE WX, AND THEN IFR WAS REPLACED WITH A SVFR TO DEPART THE AIRSPACE. THE INSTRUCTOR CONTINUED TO THE DEST AT LESS THAN 1000 FT AGL OVER A CONGESTED AREA.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT FROM BLI TO S50. WX IN THE SEATTLE AREA WAS BELOW THE 2000 FT MVA, SO I OPTED TO FLY TO MY ALTERNATE, BFI. MY INTENTIONS WERE TO SHOOT THE ILS RWY 13R AT BFI TO GET BELOW THE CEILING, AND THEN PROCEED VFR S DOWN THE VALLEY TO S50. AT THAT TIME, BFI WAS RPTING 1300 FT OVCST, VISIBILITY 2 MI IN RAIN AND FOG. I RECEIVED AN SVFR S. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN SVFR WX MINIMUMS AND STAY BELOW 1000 FT, AND TO RPT WHEN CLR OF BOEING CLASS D. APPROX 3 MI S OF BOEING, I SWITCHED TO SEA APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I WAS MAINTAINING 550-600 FT TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS. I RPTED I WAS CLR OF BOEING CLASS D AND WAS TOLD BY SEA APCH TO MAINTAIN VFR. I COULD NOT MAINTAIN 1000 FT ABOVE THE CONGESTED AREA I WAS OVER AND ALSO MAINTAIN VFR. I CHOSE TO REMAIN VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE BELOW 700 FT AGL. THE FLT ENDED WHEN I SAW S50 AND LANDED. THE REGS ARE CONFLICTING. AREAS THAT ARE CONSIDERED CONGESTED ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY CHARTED. ALSO, FOR ME TO MAINTAIN 1000 FT AGL WOULD HAVE BEEN ENTERING IMC IN CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. I FLEW DOWN THE VALLEY OVER HWY 167, SO THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMER, I HAD SOMEWHERE TO GO.

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.