Narrative:

At approximately XA00 hours on sep/xa/99, I was en route from gnoss field (dvo) marin county to buchanan field (ccr) VFR on a business trip. I tuned to the ATIS over the bay at 1000 ft and while the recorded report was intermittent and garbled, I was able to pick up: runway in use, barometric pressure, and what I thought was 3 mi visibility (there was no ceiling). I called the tower at the benicia bridge within approximately 5 mi from airport, ATIS information for landing. Response from the tower was broken and garbled. The controller was directing other traffic in the area, also I circled outside the airspace but was still unable to get a reply from the tower that I could discern. Not imagining for a min that the airport was IFR, because I had it in sight for about 5 mi. I visually determined the flow of traffic and approached the airport expecting to get light signals from the tower for my landing. I made 1 more attempt to contact the tower at this time. At no time did I ever dream the airport was IFR. It was only at this point that I was aware that the visibility was reported to be below basic IFR. All radio xmissions by the tower and other aircraft were received broken and garbled. Some seemed blocked by other aircraft. I did not know how my radio xmissions were being heard. The tower did give permission to land and requested I call the tower when parked. My approach to the airport and landing was VFR. Had I picked up on the reported visibility, I certainly would have requested SVFR as my intention, as I have previously done many times before. My approach was inadvertent due to radio problems, and my flight visibility of well over 3 mi required. Before departing from concord (same day) I checked antenna connections but my radio was still somewhat broken and garbled with both ground and tower as well as the ATIS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLEW VFR IN IMC, ENTERED CCR CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC, AND LANDED WITHOUT ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 HRS ON SEP/XA/99, I WAS ENRTE FROM GNOSS FIELD (DVO) MARIN COUNTY TO BUCHANAN FIELD (CCR) VFR ON A BUSINESS TRIP. I TUNED TO THE ATIS OVER THE BAY AT 1000 FT AND WHILE THE RECORDED RPT WAS INTERMITTENT AND GARBLED, I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP: RWY IN USE, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE, AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 3 MI VISIBILITY (THERE WAS NO CEILING). I CALLED THE TWR AT THE BENICIA BRIDGE WITHIN APPROX 5 MI FROM ARPT, ATIS INFO FOR LNDG. RESPONSE FROM THE TWR WAS BROKEN AND GARBLED. THE CTLR WAS DIRECTING OTHER TFC IN THE AREA, ALSO I CIRCLED OUTSIDE THE AIRSPACE BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO GET A REPLY FROM THE TWR THAT I COULD DISCERN. NOT IMAGINING FOR A MIN THAT THE ARPT WAS IFR, BECAUSE I HAD IT IN SIGHT FOR ABOUT 5 MI. I VISUALLY DETERMINED THE FLOW OF TFC AND APCHED THE ARPT EXPECTING TO GET LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR FOR MY LNDG. I MADE 1 MORE ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE TWR AT THIS TIME. AT NO TIME DID I EVER DREAM THE ARPT WAS IFR. IT WAS ONLY AT THIS POINT THAT I WAS AWARE THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS RPTED TO BE BELOW BASIC IFR. ALL RADIO XMISSIONS BY THE TWR AND OTHER ACFT WERE RECEIVED BROKEN AND GARBLED. SOME SEEMED BLOCKED BY OTHER ACFT. I DID NOT KNOW HOW MY RADIO XMISSIONS WERE BEING HEARD. THE TWR DID GIVE PERMISSION TO LAND AND REQUESTED I CALL THE TWR WHEN PARKED. MY APCH TO THE ARPT AND LNDG WAS VFR. HAD I PICKED UP ON THE RPTED VISIBILITY, I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE REQUESTED SVFR AS MY INTENTION, AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE. MY APCH WAS INADVERTENT DUE TO RADIO PROBS, AND MY FLT VISIBILITY OF WELL OVER 3 MI REQUIRED. BEFORE DEPARTING FROM CONCORD (SAME DAY) I CHKED ANTENNA CONNECTIONS BUT MY RADIO WAS STILL SOMEWHAT BROKEN AND GARBLED WITH BOTH GND AND TWR AS WELL AS THE ATIS.

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.