Pilot of a piper aztec 250 approached and landed when the official airport WX report indicated below...

Attributes
ACN	446448
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sby.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	446448
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I received a flight service WX briefing for a 20 mi VFR flight from sby to ged for scheduled maintenance. The WX wasn't forecast to get significantly worse throughout the day. I arrived at the airport approximately 15 mins later, ground control advised that WX at sby had been recently amended to 10 mi broken 4 mi. I departed sby VFR and immediately tuned in ged ASOS and found that their WX was still VFR. Approximately 10 mi from ged, I had to turn around with a thunderstorm in my path. I called sby and inquired if the airport was still VFR and was told that they currently were. I gave my intentions and the reason for my return and was given landing instructions. While listening to the radio, I heard the controller request a PIREP from another aircraft. This aircraft was IFR and on the approach. The pilot of this other aircraft reported the bases at 500 ft. I reported when on the downwind for the given runway as requested and was cleared to land. On rollout the tower informed me that the field was officially IFR. The WX near the coast is often very volatile and apparently impossible to predict in some cases. In the future I will leave myself a greater margin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER AZTEC 250 APCHED AND LANDED WHEN THE OFFICIAL ARPT WX RPT INDICATED BELOW VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A FLT SVC WX BRIEFING FOR A 20 MI VFR FLT FROM SBY TO GED FOR SCHEDULED MAINT. THE WX WASN'T FORECAST TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT APPROX 15 MINS LATER, GND CTL ADVISED THAT WX AT SBY HAD BEEN RECENTLY AMENDED TO 10 MI BROKEN 4 MI. I DEPARTED SBY VFR AND IMMEDIATELY TUNED IN GED ASOS AND FOUND THAT THEIR WX WAS STILL VFR. APPROX 10 MI FROM GED, I HAD TO TURN AROUND WITH A TSTM IN MY PATH. I CALLED SBY AND INQUIRED IF THE ARPT WAS STILL VFR AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CURRENTLY WERE. I GAVE MY INTENTIONS AND THE REASON FOR MY RETURN AND WAS GIVEN LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. WHILE LISTENING TO THE RADIO, I HEARD THE CTLR REQUEST A PIREP FROM ANOTHER ACFT. THIS ACFT WAS IFR AND ON THE APCH. THE PLT OF THIS OTHER ACFT RPTED THE BASES AT 500 FT. I RPTED WHEN ON THE DOWNWIND FOR THE GIVEN RWY AS REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. ON ROLLOUT THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT THE FIELD WAS OFFICIALLY IFR. THE WX NEAR THE COAST IS OFTEN VERY VOLATILE AND APPARENTLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT IN SOME CASES. IN THE FUTURE I WILL LEAVE MYSELF A GREATER MARGIN.

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.

Pilot of a piper aztec 250 approached and landed when the official airport WX report indicated below VFR conditions.