Narrative:

Was returning VFR from peoria, il, to rockford, il. Contacted kankakee FSS to get an rfd WX update. I was told rfd WX was 4000 ft overcast and 7 mi visibility and that the rfd terminal forecast had not been amended. The rfd forecast was 30 scattered ceilings 50 broken 2500 overcast occasional 30 broken till XA00 am. At XA40 am I initiated the ILS runway 7 approach at rfd airport. The rockford tower closes from 11 pm - 6 am. I was in VFR conditions and could see stars above and the ground below. This is a relatively new approach at rockford and this was just a practice approach in VFR conditions to familiarize myself with the approach. I didn't contact ZAU approach because the WX report from FSS and my own observations led me to believe that the rfd airport was in VFR conditions and that the control zone would not be active. I advised on CTAF 118.3 on my intentions. I keyed on the approach light system and could see the lights all the way from the OM. I shot the approach down to decision ht and leveled the aircraft and started a climb back up to 1000 ft AGL. At about 300-400 ft I found all outside references obscured. I continued to climb and contacted ZAU approach for an IFR clearance. I requested and received an IFR clearance back into rfd. The WX rapidly deteriorated after this. Later, looking at a WX printout, I realized that I was in the control zone without a clearance for approximately 3-5 mins. The original WX forecast was very inaccurate and subsequent forecasts were amended to reflect the much lower WX. At XA31 am, had I been given the rfd WX report, I would have contacted center but due to the delay between when the observation is taken and the time it takes to get into the system and be relayed contributed to my being in a just activated control zone without a clearance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE, PROX OF CTL ZONE. IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: WAS RETURNING VFR FROM PEORIA, IL, TO ROCKFORD, IL. CONTACTED KANKAKEE FSS TO GET AN RFD WX UPDATE. I WAS TOLD RFD WX WAS 4000 FT OVCST AND 7 MI VISIBILITY AND THAT THE RFD TERMINAL FORECAST HAD NOT BEEN AMENDED. THE RFD FORECAST WAS 30 SCATTERED CEILINGS 50 BROKEN 2500 OVCST OCCASIONAL 30 BROKEN TILL XA00 AM. AT XA40 AM I INITIATED THE ILS RWY 7 APCH AT RFD ARPT. THE ROCKFORD TWR CLOSES FROM 11 PM - 6 AM. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND COULD SEE STARS ABOVE AND THE GND BELOW. THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW APCH AT ROCKFORD AND THIS WAS JUST A PRACTICE APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE APCH. I DIDN'T CONTACT ZAU APCH BECAUSE THE WX RPT FROM FSS AND MY OWN OBSERVATIONS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE RFD ARPT WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT THE CTL ZONE WOULD NOT BE ACTIVE. I ADVISED ON CTAF 118.3 ON MY INTENTIONS. I KEYED ON THE APCH LIGHT SYS AND COULD SEE THE LIGHTS ALL THE WAY FROM THE OM. I SHOT THE APCH DOWN TO DECISION HT AND LEVELED THE ACFT AND STARTED A CLB BACK UP TO 1000 FT AGL. AT ABOUT 300-400 FT I FOUND ALL OUTSIDE REFS OBSCURED. I CONTINUED TO CLB AND CONTACTED ZAU APCH FOR AN IFR CLRNC. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC BACK INTO RFD. THE WX RAPIDLY DETERIORATED AFTER THIS. LATER, LOOKING AT A WX PRINTOUT, I REALIZED THAT I WAS IN THE CTL ZONE WITHOUT A CLRNC FOR APPROX 3-5 MINS. THE ORIGINAL WX FORECAST WAS VERY INACCURATE AND SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS WERE AMENDED TO REFLECT THE MUCH LOWER WX. AT XA31 AM, HAD I BEEN GIVEN THE RFD WX RPT, I WOULD HAVE CONTACTED CTR BUT DUE TO THE DELAY BTWN WHEN THE OBSERVATION IS TAKEN AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET INTO THE SYS AND BE RELAYED CONTRIBUTED TO MY BEING IN A JUST ACTIVATED CTL ZONE WITHOUT A CLRNC.

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.