Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from ykm to cls. Cls does not have an instrument approach available. Reported WX (ASOS) at olm 18 miles to the north of cls was 1 3/4 to 3 mi visibility and 1900 ft overcast. About 40 mi out from cls I requested the VOR DME 35 approach at olm in the event I did not break out for the visual to cls. The controller asked me if I wanted to 'over-fly' cls or start the approach now. I was not sure what he meant by 'over-fly.' I did not think it would do any good to fly over cls at 3500 ft (the lowest the controller could get me down to) with an overcast reported at 1900 ft at olm. I therefore asked to start the approach to olm assuming the VOR DME 35 approach which has been the procedure numerous times before. The controller cleared me direct olm and to expect the ILS approach. I knew from my preflight briefing that the ILS was out at olm so I asked the controller if it was available. He came back and confirmed that it was not and to expect the VOR a approach. The purpose of flying the approach is to get lower; break out and proceed VFR to cls; not to land at olm. The controller then gave me vectors to set me up east and bring me north of olm for the final approach course for the VOR a approach which is 171. The controller informed me that an aircraft ahead of me to cls had broken out and reported bases at 3300 ft and got in to cls. My mindset was to stay on the approach until I broke out; cancel IFR; and proceed to cls. In my mind I saw this happening south of olm. I broke out at about 4000 ft. I cancelled IFR and turned southwest to intercept highway I5 and follow it to cls. What I failed to recognize was that while on vectors I had flown north and east of olm. When I turned southwest and proceeded towards I5 I suddenly realized that I was inside of olm class D airspace. I called the tower and confessed my situation. The tower advised me the airport was IFR and gave me the WX. I then continued on southwest and left the airspace. My concern is that I entered the class D airspace without a clearance and failed to ask for a special VFR to operate in the airspace. Several factors contributed to this event. I failed to make my request clear for the approach I wanted and when I wanted to start it. I also became very busy hand flying the airplane; setting up radios for an unexpected approach; descending; maintaining headings; and trying to maintain situational awareness of where cls would be when I broke out. Even though I broke out at 4000 ft; ceilings in the area were lower and I was soon down to 1200 ft with about 3 miles visibility. Most of my attention was directed outside the airplane trying to recognize landmarks and stay VFR. I could not see the olm airport due to visibilities until I was already in the class D airspace. I should have noticed my DME distance but my attention was outside the airplane. It was not until too late that I realized I should have requested special VFR clearance to operate in the class D airspace. I also did not believe I had flown north of the olm airport while still on vectors and believed myself to be south of olm. I had obviously lost situational awareness. I have made this flight numerous times before and was always allowed to descend towards cls and given the VOR DME 35 approach if I had not broken out by 3500 ft by simply turning north and intercepting the inbound final approach course without having to over-fly the airport first. I was not entirely familiar with that terminology. Next time I will maintain better situational awareness. I will make my intentions and requests clear to the controller. I will ask for special VFR when approaching class D airspace. I will not give up my IFR clearance until I am positive of my position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C340 CONDUCTED A VOR A APCH TO OLM AND WHEN VFR CANCELLED IFR AND PROCEEDED TO CLS. HOWEVER; THE PILOT OPERATED IN OLM CLASS D WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM YKM TO CLS. CLS DOES NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT APCH AVAILABLE. RPTED WX (ASOS) AT OLM 18 MILES TO THE N OF CLS WAS 1 3/4 TO 3 MI VISIBILITY AND 1900 FT OVERCAST. ABOUT 40 MI OUT FROM CLS I REQUESTED THE VOR DME 35 APCH AT OLM IN THE EVENT I DID NOT BREAK OUT FOR THE VISUAL TO CLS. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO 'OVER-FLY' CLS OR START THE APCH NOW. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT HE MEANT BY 'OVER-FLY.' I DID NOT THINK IT WOULD DO ANY GOOD TO FLY OVER CLS AT 3500 FT (THE LOWEST THE CTLR COULD GET ME DOWN TO) WITH AN OVERCAST RPTED AT 1900 FT AT OLM. I THEREFORE ASKED TO START THE APCH TO OLM ASSUMING THE VOR DME 35 APCH WHICH HAS BEEN THE PROC NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE. THE CTLR CLRED ME DIRECT OLM AND TO EXPECT THE ILS APCH. I KNEW FROM MY PREFLT BRIEFING THAT THE ILS WAS OUT AT OLM SO I ASKED THE CTLR IF IT WAS AVAILABLE. HE CAME BACK AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS NOT AND TO EXPECT THE VOR A APCH. THE PURPOSE OF FLYING THE APCH IS TO GET LOWER; BREAK OUT AND PROCEED VFR TO CLS; NOT TO LAND AT OLM. THE CTLR THEN GAVE ME VECTORS TO SET ME UP E AND BRING ME N OF OLM FOR THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR THE VOR A APCH WHICH IS 171. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT AN ACFT AHEAD OF ME TO CLS HAD BROKEN OUT AND RPTED BASES AT 3300 FT AND GOT IN TO CLS. MY MINDSET WAS TO STAY ON THE APCH UNTIL I BROKE OUT; CANCEL IFR; AND PROCEED TO CLS. IN MY MIND I SAW THIS HAPPENING S OF OLM. I BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 4000 FT. I CANCELLED IFR AND TURNED SW TO INTERCEPT HWY I5 AND FOLLOW IT TO CLS. WHAT I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE WAS THAT WHILE ON VECTORS I HAD FLOWN N AND E OF OLM. WHEN I TURNED SW AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS I5 I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT I WAS INSIDE OF OLM CLASS D AIRSPACE. I CALLED THE TWR AND CONFESSED MY SIT. THE TWR ADVISED ME THE ARPT WAS IFR AND GAVE ME THE WX. I THEN CONTINUED ON SW AND LEFT THE AIRSPACE. MY CONCERN IS THAT I ENTERED THE CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC AND FAILED TO ASK FOR A SPECIAL VFR TO OPERATE IN THE AIRSPACE. SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT. I FAILED TO MAKE MY REQUEST CLR FOR THE APCH I WANTED AND WHEN I WANTED TO START IT. I ALSO BECAME VERY BUSY HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE; SETTING UP RADIOS FOR AN UNEXPECTED APCH; DSNDING; MAINTAINING HDGS; AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WHERE CLS WOULD BE WHEN I BROKE OUT. EVEN THOUGH I BROKE OUT AT 4000 FT; CEILINGS IN THE AREA WERE LOWER AND I WAS SOON DOWN TO 1200 FT WITH ABOUT 3 MILES VISIBILITY. MOST OF MY ATTENTION WAS DIRECTED OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE LANDMARKS AND STAY VFR. I COULD NOT SEE THE OLM ARPT DUE TO VISIBILITIES UNTIL I WAS ALREADY IN THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED MY DME DISTANCE BUT MY ATTENTION WAS OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE. IT WAS NOT UNTIL TOO LATE THAT I REALIZED I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO OPERATE IN THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. I ALSO DID NOT BELIEVE I HAD FLOWN N OF THE OLM AIRPORT WHILE STILL ON VECTORS AND BELIEVED MYSELF TO BE S OF OLM. I HAD OBVIOUSLY LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I HAVE MADE THIS FLT NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE AND WAS ALWAYS ALLOWED TO DSND TOWARDS CLS AND GIVEN THE VOR DME 35 APCH IF I HAD NOT BROKEN OUT BY 3500 FT BY SIMPLY TURNING N AND INTERCEPTING THE INBOUND FINAL APCH COURSE WITHOUT HAVING TO OVER-FLY THE ARPT FIRST. I WAS NOT ENTIRELY FAMILIAR WITH THAT TERMINOLOGY. NEXT TIME I WILL MAINTAIN BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I WILL MAKE MY INTENTIONS AND REQUESTS CLR TO THE CTLR. I WILL ASK FOR SPECIAL VFR WHEN APCHING CLASS D AIRSPACE. I WILL NOT GIVE UP MY IFR CLRNC UNTIL I AM POSITIVE OF MY POSITION.

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.