Narrative:

I was at 4500' inbound to cew VFR on top of clouds. As I got within about 25 mi of cew the clouds went from scattered to broken, to solid, with tops at about 2500'. I called cew FSS and learned that cew was 1000' overcast, visibility 5 mi. I decided that the safest and best course was to request an IFR approach rather than search for a hold to descend through. I called eglin approach and requested (I thought) an IFR localizer approach to runway 17 at cew. The eglin controller came right back with 'squawk...cleared to kobra, cleared for the localizer 17 approach. Crestview using runway 35, maintain 2200 until kobra outbnd'. I rogered the clearance and reported leaving 4500'. Upon reaching kobra I reported 'my identification X, kobra outbnd, leaving 2200'. About a min later, while in the approach and in IMC conditions, I heard small aircraft Y call approach and request the VOR-a approach to crestview, and state his intentions that upon reaching VMC he would cancel and continue VFR to de funiak springs, a nearby VFR airport. This caused me to wonder if small aircraft Y and I would converge in IMC (the apches converge) so, though it was not requested, I reported 'procedure turn inbound'. To my amazement the controller answered 'robert X maintain VFR!' I then said 'but I'm not VFR, I'm in the clouds'. The controller then replied 'roger X, climb to 2200' hold as published at kobra, you're #2 for approach!' I then said 'but I'm only 1 mi outside the marker at 1500.' as I turned outbnd in holding, eglin approach cleared me for an IFR approach to cew. Upon landing I called the eglin watch supervisor and we agreed there was a disconnect between me and the controller. I thought I was on an IFR clearance and the controller thought I was conducting the approach in VFR conditions for training/proficiency. I don't think I came close to small aircraft Y.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 SMA ACFT MAKING DIFFERENT IFR APCHES TO SAME ARPT. OPERATIONAL ERROR OR PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS AT 4500' INBND TO CEW VFR ON TOP OF CLOUDS. AS I GOT WITHIN ABOUT 25 MI OF CEW THE CLOUDS WENT FROM SCATTERED TO BROKEN, TO SOLID, WITH TOPS AT ABOUT 2500'. I CALLED CEW FSS AND LEARNED THAT CEW WAS 1000' OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 5 MI. I DECIDED THAT THE SAFEST AND BEST COURSE WAS TO REQUEST AN IFR APCH RATHER THAN SEARCH FOR A HOLD TO DSND THROUGH. I CALLED EGLIN APCH AND REQUESTED (I THOUGHT) AN IFR LOC APCH TO RWY 17 AT CEW. THE EGLIN CTLR CAME RIGHT BACK WITH 'SQUAWK...CLRED TO KOBRA, CLRED FOR THE LOC 17 APCH. CRESTVIEW USING RWY 35, MAINTAIN 2200 UNTIL KOBRA OUTBND'. I ROGERED THE CLRNC AND REPORTED LEAVING 4500'. UPON REACHING KOBRA I REPORTED 'MY ID X, KOBRA OUTBND, LEAVING 2200'. ABOUT A MIN LATER, WHILE IN THE APCH AND IN IMC CONDITIONS, I HEARD SMA Y CALL APCH AND REQUEST THE VOR-A APCH TO CRESTVIEW, AND STATE HIS INTENTIONS THAT UPON REACHING VMC HE WOULD CANCEL AND CONTINUE VFR TO DE FUNIAK SPRINGS, A NEARBY VFR ARPT. THIS CAUSED ME TO WONDER IF SMA Y AND I WOULD CONVERGE IN IMC (THE APCHES CONVERGE) SO, THOUGH IT WAS NOT REQUESTED, I REPORTED 'PROC TURN INBND'. TO MY AMAZEMENT THE CTLR ANSWERED 'ROBERT X MAINTAIN VFR!' I THEN SAID 'BUT I'M NOT VFR, I'M IN THE CLOUDS'. THE CTLR THEN REPLIED 'ROGER X, CLIMB TO 2200' HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT KOBRA, YOU'RE #2 FOR APCH!' I THEN SAID 'BUT I'M ONLY 1 MI OUTSIDE THE MARKER AT 1500.' AS I TURNED OUTBND IN HOLDING, EGLIN APCH CLRED ME FOR AN IFR APCH TO CEW. UPON LNDG I CALLED THE EGLIN WATCH SUPVR AND WE AGREED THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN ME AND THE CTLR. I THOUGHT I WAS ON AN IFR CLRNC AND THE CTLR THOUGHT I WAS CONDUCTING THE APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR TRAINING/PROFICIENCY. I DON'T THINK I CAME CLOSE TO SMA Y.

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.