The pilot of an small aircraft aircraft continued in MVFR conditions to the destination after flying...

Attributes
ACN	332872
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea airport : s50
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	332872
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was an instrument flight from ellensburg, wa, with a final destination of auburn, wa. The WX was below the MVA of sea approach (2000 ft), so I filed for bfi. Along my route of flight, I was IMC from 8000-2500 ft MSL with a scattered layer below at 800-700 ft AGL. My company traffic was approximately 20 mins ahead, leaving bfi on an SVFR clearance. I was monitoring his progress to auburn and I heard him report the field in sight to seattle approach, which was the same route I was about to fly. Bfi's ATIS was reporting 700 ft scattered, 1500 ft broken, visibility 3 mi in light rain and fog, and as I was cleared for the ILS runway 13R at bfi, sea approach was advising sea ATIS was 600 ft scattered, 1500 ft broken. Knowing sea is 372 ft above auburn, I had assurance that I would be able to fly the transition to auburn VFR and clear of clouds. After completion of the approach I was VFR below 700 ft AGL with 1 mi visibility and clear of clouds. I contacted sea approach for VFR flight following to auburn in the event I would not be able to maintain 1 mi visibility and clear of the clouds, I could have picked up an IFR clearance to bfi for the ILS and a full stop. I followed SR167 which is a 4 lane highway that leads to the approach end of runway 16 at auburn. Along my chosen route I encountered a ragged ceiling between 700-500 ft AGL. In order to maintain 1 mi visibility and clear of clouds, my altitude was occasionally 500 ft AGL which prevented me from remaining 1000 ft above a congested area. At any higher of an altitude I would have been IMC, so I made the decision to remain under 700 ft AGL VFR to auburn. The flight ended with a safe landing at auburn but, to avoid future occurrences below 1000 ft over a congested area, I will be making IFR approachs to a full stop and waiting the WX out, or have someone pick me up at another airport with better WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF AN SMA ACFT CONTINUED IN MVFR CONDITIONS TO THE DEST AFTER FLYING AN APCH INTO BFI AND CANCELING IFR. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE, THE RPTR HAD TO FLY AT LESS THAN 1000 FT AGL OVER A CONGESTED AREA.

Narrative: IT WAS AN INST FLT FROM ELLENSBURG, WA, WITH A FINAL DEST OF AUBURN, WA. THE WX WAS BELOW THE MVA OF SEA APCH (2000 FT), SO I FILED FOR BFI. ALONG MY RTE OF FLT, I WAS IMC FROM 8000-2500 FT MSL WITH A SCATTERED LAYER BELOW AT 800-700 FT AGL. MY COMPANY TFC WAS APPROX 20 MINS AHEAD, LEAVING BFI ON AN SVFR CLRNC. I WAS MONITORING HIS PROGRESS TO AUBURN AND I HEARD HIM RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT TO SEATTLE APCH, WHICH WAS THE SAME RTE I WAS ABOUT TO FLY. BFI'S ATIS WAS RPTING 700 FT SCATTERED, 1500 FT BROKEN, VISIBILITY 3 MI IN LIGHT RAIN AND FOG, AND AS I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 13R AT BFI, SEA APCH WAS ADVISING SEA ATIS WAS 600 FT SCATTERED, 1500 FT BROKEN. KNOWING SEA IS 372 FT ABOVE AUBURN, I HAD ASSURANCE THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO FLY THE TRANSITION TO AUBURN VFR AND CLR OF CLOUDS. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE APCH I WAS VFR BELOW 700 FT AGL WITH 1 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF CLOUDS. I CONTACTED SEA APCH FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING TO AUBURN IN THE EVENT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN 1 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF THE CLOUDS, I COULD HAVE PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC TO BFI FOR THE ILS AND A FULL STOP. I FOLLOWED SR167 WHICH IS A 4 LANE HWY THAT LEADS TO THE APCH END OF RWY 16 AT AUBURN. ALONG MY CHOSEN RTE I ENCOUNTERED A RAGGED CEILING BTWN 700-500 FT AGL. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN 1 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF CLOUDS, MY ALT WAS OCCASIONALLY 500 FT AGL WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM REMAINING 1000 FT ABOVE A CONGESTED AREA. AT ANY HIGHER OF AN ALT I WOULD HAVE BEEN IMC, SO I MADE THE DECISION TO REMAIN UNDER 700 FT AGL VFR TO AUBURN. THE FLT ENDED WITH A SAFE LNDG AT AUBURN BUT, TO AVOID FUTURE OCCURRENCES BELOW 1000 FT OVER A CONGESTED AREA, I WILL BE MAKING IFR APCHS TO A FULL STOP AND WAITING THE WX OUT, OR HAVE SOMEONE PICK ME UP AT ANOTHER ARPT WITH BETTER WX.

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.

The pilot of an small aircraft aircraft continued in MVFR conditions to the destination after flying an approach into bfi and canceling IFR. In order to maintain VFR in uncontrolled airspace, the reporter had to fly at less than 1000 ft AGL over a congested area.