Air taxi cancels IFR when runway in sight. Puts him in czn in IMC without IFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	224133
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gtr
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 350 agl bound upper : 350
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cbm
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	224133
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Gtr AWOS was reporting 400 broken. I was shooting the localizer/backcourse to runway 36. There was an small transport behind me looking for reports of gtr and about to start the approach. When I broke out, columbus approach called for a base report. I gave this, and, in an effort to avoid a delay for the small transport, I cancelled IFR since landing was assured. I immediately realized this put me in controled airspace in IFR WX without an IFR flight plan. The flight concluded safely and the small transport was able to begin the approach with no delay. The reasons for my actions were that the small transport would have likely been put in a hold or otherwise delayed due to the situation. I do feel that the controllers are slightly too restr in their aircraft spacing. There doesn't seem to be any reason why 1 aircraft can't start an approach while another is about to land, but at these small (uncontrolled) airports this type of situation causes too many unnecessary delays.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI CANCELS IFR WHEN RWY IN SIGHT. PUTS HIM IN CZN IN IMC WITHOUT IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: GTR AWOS WAS RPTING 400 BROKEN. I WAS SHOOTING THE LOC/BACKCOURSE TO RWY 36. THERE WAS AN SMT BEHIND ME LOOKING FOR RPTS OF GTR AND ABOUT TO START THE APCH. WHEN I BROKE OUT, COLUMBUS APCH CALLED FOR A BASE RPT. I GAVE THIS, AND, IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A DELAY FOR THE SMT, I CANCELLED IFR SINCE LNDG WAS ASSURED. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THIS PUT ME IN CTLED AIRSPACE IN IFR WX WITHOUT AN IFR FLT PLAN. THE FLT CONCLUDED SAFELY AND THE SMT WAS ABLE TO BEGIN THE APCH WITH NO DELAY. THE REASONS FOR MY ACTIONS WERE THAT THE SMT WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN PUT IN A HOLD OR OTHERWISE DELAYED DUE TO THE SITUATION. I DO FEEL THAT THE CTLRS ARE SLIGHTLY TOO RESTR IN THEIR ACFT SPACING. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY REASON WHY 1 ACFT CAN'T START AN APCH WHILE ANOTHER IS ABOUT TO LAND, BUT AT THESE SMALL (UNCTLED) ARPTS THIS TYPE OF SITUATION CAUSES TOO MANY UNNECESSARY DELAYS.

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.