Light transport cancels IFR to complete approach VFR. Enters IMC.

Attributes
ACN	233556
Time
Date	199302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jln
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 981 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	233556
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were inbound to jln when ATC advised us to hold over neosho VOR, an small aircraft was ahead of us on the approach. ATIS was inoperative at the time and center advised us jln WX was 1500 scattered, 4 mi visibility with light rain. At our position the WX was the same. We proceeded to cancel IFR and continue VFR toward jln. As we got closer to the airport the WX had deteriorated. We were near elode at the time and my first officer reported to the tower that we are unable to maintain VFR and that we were making a 180 degree turn. With another plane on approach we penetrated a thin layer of clouds and climbed to VFR. When we reached center again they reported the new WX as 400 broken with 2 mi visibility in rain and fog. We shot the ILS to 13 and landed with no incident. The fact that ATIS was inoperative and center gave us old WX contributed to us penetrating IMC. If we had accurate WX we would not have cancelled IFR. If the tower would have informed us of their new WX when we were 7 mi southeast we would have never continued VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CANCELS IFR TO COMPLETE APCH VFR. ENTERS IMC.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO JLN WHEN ATC ADVISED US TO HOLD OVER NEOSHO VOR, AN SMA WAS AHEAD OF US ON THE APCH. ATIS WAS INOP AT THE TIME AND CTR ADVISED US JLN WX WAS 1500 SCATTERED, 4 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT RAIN. AT OUR POS THE WX WAS THE SAME. WE PROCEEDED TO CANCEL IFR AND CONTINUE VFR TOWARD JLN. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE ARPT THE WX HAD DETERIORATED. WE WERE NEAR ELODE AT THE TIME AND MY FO RPTED TO THE TWR THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND THAT WE WERE MAKING A 180 DEG TURN. WITH ANOTHER PLANE ON APCH WE PENETRATED A THIN LAYER OF CLOUDS AND CLBED TO VFR. WHEN WE REACHED CTR AGAIN THEY RPTED THE NEW WX AS 400 BROKEN WITH 2 MI VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND FOG. WE SHOT THE ILS TO 13 AND LANDED WITH NO INCIDENT. THE FACT THAT ATIS WAS INOP AND CTR GAVE US OLD WX CONTRIBUTED TO US PENETRATING IMC. IF WE HAD ACCURATE WX WE WOULD NOT HAVE CANCELLED IFR. IF THE TWR WOULD HAVE INFORMED US OF THEIR NEW WX WHEN WE WERE 7 MI SE WE WOULD HAVE NEVER CONTINUED VFR.

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.