Narrative:

We were coming into pwk. They were using runway 34 due to windy conditions. It is normal procedure at this airport to cancel IFR in order to circle to land for runway 34. It is noted on the ATIS this routine is in progress and arriving aircraft unable to cancel IFR should inform the approach controller on initial contact. This is not an IFR approach followed by 'cleared for the visual.' the ceiling and visibility on ATIS were more than adequate allowing circling in good VFR conditions. I briefed the other pilot for a 1900 ft MSL pattern. We had the airport in sight; but eventually I decided we needed to descend to maintain VFR. In retrospect I should have turned around and headed north to maintain VFR. I didn't. I descended to just above IFR circling minimums with the airport in sight on the downwind leg. The WX was not good enough to continue the VFR circle and land. I selected go around and pitched up into the overcast in a climbing left turn over the airport to 2000 ft MSL and a north heading. 15 seconds later we were again VMC and picked up an IFR clearance for a straight in landing on runway 16. I could have drug the gv across the airport at 600 ft AGL; and maintained VFR as I turned north. Legal; but not as safe as entering the ceiling up to 2000 ft MSL and going north in to VMC conditions. The airport was officially VFR the entire time. Particularly at this airport you need a VFR mindset because their local procedures demand it. I should have turned around at the first sign of lowering conditions and waited until they could protect the airspace for an IFR circle to land with possible missed approach. Next time I will do just that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CANCELING IFR AS REQUESTED ON THE ATIS AT PWK; A GV CREW ENCOUNTERS WX WORSE THAN REPORTED RESULTING IN ABANDONING THE APCH AND CLBING VFR THROUGH THE OVERCAST BEFORE BEING ISSUED A NEW CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE COMING INTO PWK. THEY WERE USING RWY 34 DUE TO WINDY CONDITIONS. IT IS NORMAL PROC AT THIS ARPT TO CANCEL IFR IN ORDER TO CIRCLE TO LAND FOR RWY 34. IT IS NOTED ON THE ATIS THIS ROUTINE IS IN PROGRESS AND ARRIVING ACFT UNABLE TO CANCEL IFR SHOULD INFORM THE APCH CTLR ON INITIAL CONTACT. THIS IS NOT AN IFR APCH FOLLOWED BY 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY ON ATIS WERE MORE THAN ADEQUATE ALLOWING CIRCLING IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. I BRIEFED THE OTHER PLT FOR A 1900 FT MSL PATTERN. WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT; BUT EVENTUALLY I DECIDED WE NEEDED TO DESCEND TO MAINTAIN VFR. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND HEADED N TO MAINTAIN VFR. I DIDN'T. I DESCENDED TO JUST ABOVE IFR CIRCLING MINIMUMS WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE WX WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO CONTINUE THE VFR CIRCLE AND LAND. I SELECTED GAR AND PITCHED UP INTO THE OVERCAST IN A CLBING L TURN OVER THE ARPT TO 2000 FT MSL AND A N HEADING. 15 SECONDS LATER WE WERE AGAIN VMC AND PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC FOR A STRAIGHT IN LNDG ON RWY 16. I COULD HAVE DRUG THE GV ACROSS THE ARPT AT 600 FT AGL; AND MAINTAINED VFR AS I TURNED N. LEGAL; BUT NOT AS SAFE AS ENTERING THE CEILING UP TO 2000 FT MSL AND GOING N IN TO VMC CONDITIONS. THE ARPT WAS OFFICIALLY VFR THE ENTIRE TIME. PARTICULARLY AT THIS ARPT YOU NEED A VFR MINDSET BECAUSE THEIR LOCAL PROCS DEMAND IT. I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AT THE FIRST SIGN OF LOWERING CONDITIONS AND WAITED UNTIL THEY COULD PROTECT THE AIRSPACE FOR AN IFR CIRCLE TO LAND WITH POSSIBLE MISSED APCH. NEXT TIME I WILL DO JUST THAT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.