Narrative:

There were several inactions that led to my VFR flight ending with a landing in ground fog at abilene regional airport at XA30 am, dec/xx/94. The first mistake was that our departure time was extended past the time for which my WX briefing at XC15 pm dec/xx/94 (ZFW) was valid. I only took into account the clearing trend, and not the ground fog which would develop as the nighttime temperatures lowered, and failed to call WX before we left arlington municipal at XX15 am. My second inaction occurred in-flight. I didn't call for a WX update for abilene, nor did I listen to ATIS. My first knowledge of abilene being IFR because of low ground fog came 30 mi out when I called approach control. My third mistake was that I failed to request special VFR clearance from approach. Instead, I simply asked to fly over the airport to see if I could see the end of the runway. I was cleared for such actions, but apparently because the approach controller thought I might have a fuel situation. I reported I thought I had between 30 min and 1 hour of reserve. (Once on the ground I calculated I had an hour and 10 min of reserve.) while, I never declared a fuel emergency, my underestimation of fuel reserve caused the controller to declare the situation an incident. I did not know this until I called tower after we were down. Had I simply asked for special VFR clearance, the same outcome (a good landing) would have occurred without the situation becoming an incident. I was able to see the end of the runway, asked for clearance to land, was given it and proceeded to land. I now know the importance of always calling WX, regardless of how favorable the WX seems. I also know to listen to ATIS and get in-flight WX reports. Finally, I have already arranged recurrent training with my instructor in the area of special VFR clrncs in arsa's. I have definitely learned an important lesson, 1 which will change my flying procedures for the better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL LANDED BELOW ARPT VFR WX MINIMUMS.

Narrative: THERE WERE SEVERAL INACTIONS THAT LED TO MY VFR FLT ENDING WITH A LNDG IN GND FOG AT ABILENE REGIONAL ARPT AT XA30 AM, DEC/XX/94. THE FIRST MISTAKE WAS THAT OUR DEP TIME WAS EXTENDED PAST THE TIME FOR WHICH MY WX BRIEFING AT XC15 PM DEC/XX/94 (ZFW) WAS VALID. I ONLY TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE CLRING TREND, AND NOT THE GND FOG WHICH WOULD DEVELOP AS THE NIGHTTIME TEMPS LOWERED, AND FAILED TO CALL WX BEFORE WE LEFT ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AT XX15 AM. MY SECOND INACTION OCCURRED INFLT. I DIDN'T CALL FOR A WX UPDATE FOR ABILENE, NOR DID I LISTEN TO ATIS. MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF ABILENE BEING IFR BECAUSE OF LOW GND FOG CAME 30 MI OUT WHEN I CALLED APCH CTL. MY THIRD MISTAKE WAS THAT I FAILED TO REQUEST SPECIAL VFR CLRNC FROM APCH. INSTEAD, I SIMPLY ASKED TO FLY OVER THE ARPT TO SEE IF I COULD SEE THE END OF THE RWY. I WAS CLRED FOR SUCH ACTIONS, BUT APPARENTLY BECAUSE THE APCH CTLR THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE A FUEL SIT. I RPTED I THOUGHT I HAD BTWN 30 MIN AND 1 HR OF RESERVE. (ONCE ON THE GND I CALCULATED I HAD AN HR AND 10 MIN OF RESERVE.) WHILE, I NEVER DECLARED A FUEL EMER, MY UNDERESTIMATION OF FUEL RESERVE CAUSED THE CTLR TO DECLARE THE SIT AN INCIDENT. I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL I CALLED TWR AFTER WE WERE DOWN. HAD I SIMPLY ASKED FOR SPECIAL VFR CLRNC, THE SAME OUTCOME (A GOOD LNDG) WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT THE SIT BECOMING AN INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE END OF THE RWY, ASKED FOR CLRNC TO LAND, WAS GIVEN IT AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. I NOW KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ALWAYS CALLING WX, REGARDLESS OF HOW FAVORABLE THE WX SEEMS. I ALSO KNOW TO LISTEN TO ATIS AND GET INFLT WX RPTS. FINALLY, I HAVE ALREADY ARRANGED RECURRENT TRAINING WITH MY INSTRUCTOR IN THE AREA OF SPECIAL VFR CLRNCS IN ARSA'S. I HAVE DEFINITELY LEARNED AN IMPORTANT LESSON, 1 WHICH WILL CHANGE MY FLYING PROCS FOR THE BETTER.

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.