Narrative:

On VFR ferry flight from tx to sc. Had been stuck twice already because of WX. Was too eager to get home. Got stuck on top of a broken/overcast layer. In attempt to descend through a hole, discovered that it would be impossible to fly VFR below the cloud cover, climbed back on top and filed an IFR flight plan with FSS. Picked up clearance from montgomery approach and successfully completed following approach. Upon arrival in sc discovered that the airplane, although IFR equipped, was not IFR certified. I believe the cause of this event is twofold: 1) improper inspection of airplane logbooks (I did look for 100 hours ELT and annual inspection). I had not planned on flying actual IFR, so that's probably why I didn't look for it. 2) a severe case of get homeitis. Fortunately, I was IFR current and had no problems flying the aircraft on instruments.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FILED IFR FLT PLAN WHEN UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. ACFT NOT CERTIFIED.

Narrative: ON VFR FERRY FLT FROM TX TO SC. HAD BEEN STUCK TWICE ALREADY BECAUSE OF WX. WAS TOO EAGER TO GET HOME. GOT STUCK ON TOP OF A BROKEN/OVCST LAYER. IN ATTEMPT TO DSND THROUGH A HOLE, DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY VFR BELOW THE CLOUD COVER, CLBED BACK ON TOP AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS. PICKED UP CLRNC FROM MONTGOMERY APCH AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED FOLLOWING APCH. UPON ARR IN SC DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPLANE, ALTHOUGH IFR EQUIPPED, WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS TWOFOLD: 1) IMPROPER INSPECTION OF AIRPLANE LOGBOOKS (I DID LOOK FOR 100 HRS ELT AND ANNUAL INSPECTION). I HAD NOT PLANNED ON FLYING ACTUAL IFR, SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I DIDN'T LOOK FOR IT. 2) A SEVERE CASE OF GET HOMEITIS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IFR CURRENT AND HAD NO PROBLEMS FLYING THE ACFT ON INSTS.

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.