Narrative:

A single pilot VFR trip from stockton to san carlos, ca. The WX was reported marginal VFR at hwd and VFR at sql. The intention was to shoot the localizer/DME runway 28 at hwd and then fly across the bay to sql. This is an accepted company procedure I had done successfully before. After breaking out on the approach I received a turn, return to VFR (no mention of SVFR -- I should have asked) and frequency change from tower. I proceeded toward the bay with good visibility. Closer to bay though it appeared IMC over the water. I elected to circle to maintain VMC. I contacted hwd tower, who answered on 3RD call. They said field had gone below minimum and they couldn't help me, to contact approach. I did so, and received an IFR clearance to 3000 ft with radar vectors. I asked for the visual to sql as I could see it in the clear across the bay. Approach coordinated well so I could go across sfo arrs at 4000 ft and then proceeded with the visual. Approach in the bay area is great. Again, being IFR is the answer. Trying to scud run is a dangerous option -- especially when sanctioned/encouraged by the company to save time and money. I was following company policy to go VFR and save as much time as possible. Prudence and my preference, would be IFR flight to sql with an alternate if no visual approach available. I proceeded against my better judgement doing all those things you read about in accident statistics. Fortunately, I had good instrument skills and my better sense took over, better late than never. When I called in and briefed my boss, I assumed I'd receive a chewing out. Perhaps more frightening, I was told that at 800 ft AGL I had '60 seconds till impact with the water -- lots of time, people fly king air's inverted at less than that' direct quote. And since I was new to the area (here 3 months), he would fly with me and teach me about fog. When I hung up, all I could think about was the outfit in a foreign country where the NTSB first recognized management philosophy as an accident causal factor. I fly for a company with a few pilots who self-proclaim to be 'the best king air drivers in the world.' as a new pilot I feel immense pressure to prove myself. My solution is to file IFR more, strife to be the 'safest' pilot and find another job as soon as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: KING AIR PLT WHO MADE AN INST APCH TO HWD THEN A DIVERT TO SQL ARPT ACROSS THE BAY WHERE WX HAD BEEN RPTED AS VFR IN BRIEFING. PLT ENCOUNTERED MARGINAL WX ON THE DIVERT AND CONTACTED APCH FOR VECTORS.

Narrative: A SINGLE PLT VFR TRIP FROM STOCKTON TO SAN CARLOS, CA. THE WX WAS RPTED MARGINAL VFR AT HWD AND VFR AT SQL. THE INTENTION WAS TO SHOOT THE LOC/DME RWY 28 AT HWD AND THEN FLY ACROSS THE BAY TO SQL. THIS IS AN ACCEPTED COMPANY PROC I HAD DONE SUCCESSFULLY BEFORE. AFTER BREAKING OUT ON THE APCH I RECEIVED A TURN, RETURN TO VFR (NO MENTION OF SVFR -- I SHOULD HAVE ASKED) AND FREQ CHANGE FROM TWR. I PROCEEDED TOWARD THE BAY WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. CLOSER TO BAY THOUGH IT APPEARED IMC OVER THE WATER. I ELECTED TO CIRCLE TO MAINTAIN VMC. I CONTACTED HWD TWR, WHO ANSWERED ON 3RD CALL. THEY SAID FIELD HAD GONE BELOW MINIMUM AND THEY COULDN'T HELP ME, TO CONTACT APCH. I DID SO, AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC TO 3000 FT WITH RADAR VECTORS. I ASKED FOR THE VISUAL TO SQL AS I COULD SEE IT IN THE CLR ACROSS THE BAY. APCH COORDINATED WELL SO I COULD GO ACROSS SFO ARRS AT 4000 FT AND THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE VISUAL. APCH IN THE BAY AREA IS GREAT. AGAIN, BEING IFR IS THE ANSWER. TRYING TO SCUD RUN IS A DANGEROUS OPTION -- ESPECIALLY WHEN SANCTIONED/ENCOURAGED BY THE COMPANY TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY. I WAS FOLLOWING COMPANY POLICY TO GO VFR AND SAVE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE. PRUDENCE AND MY PREFERENCE, WOULD BE IFR FLT TO SQL WITH AN ALTERNATE IF NO VISUAL APCH AVAILABLE. I PROCEEDED AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT DOING ALL THOSE THINGS YOU READ ABOUT IN ACCIDENT STATISTICS. FORTUNATELY, I HAD GOOD INST SKILLS AND MY BETTER SENSE TOOK OVER, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. WHEN I CALLED IN AND BRIEFED MY BOSS, I ASSUMED I'D RECEIVE A CHEWING OUT. PERHAPS MORE FRIGHTENING, I WAS TOLD THAT AT 800 FT AGL I HAD '60 SECONDS TILL IMPACT WITH THE WATER -- LOTS OF TIME, PEOPLE FLY KING AIR'S INVERTED AT LESS THAN THAT' DIRECT QUOTE. AND SINCE I WAS NEW TO THE AREA (HERE 3 MONTHS), HE WOULD FLY WITH ME AND TEACH ME ABOUT FOG. WHEN I HUNG UP, ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THE OUTFIT IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE THE NTSB FIRST RECOGNIZED MGMNT PHILOSOPHY AS AN ACCIDENT CAUSAL FACTOR. I FLY FOR A COMPANY WITH A FEW PLTS WHO SELF-PROCLAIM TO BE 'THE BEST KING AIR DRIVERS IN THE WORLD.' AS A NEW PLT I FEEL IMMENSE PRESSURE TO PROVE MYSELF. MY SOLUTION IS TO FILE IFR MORE, STRIFE TO BE THE 'SAFEST' PLT AND FIND ANOTHER JOB ASAP.

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.