IFR flight plan canceled when continuing in marginal WX.

Attributes
ACN	304530
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hfd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hfd
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1150 flight time type : 1050
ASRS Report	304530
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX was reported as 900 ft ceiling and 10 mi visibility. There were breaks in the overcast along the approach course (NDB 2 at hfd). I was on an IFR flight plan receiving an icc from a cfii. The flight originated at 4b8, went to gon, then to hfd, then returned to 4b8. At the time of the NDB 2 approach at hfd ATIS reported a 900 ft ceiling. The approach started in IMC but soon broke out into VFR conditions. The IFR flight plan was canceled and I flew VFR to 4b8. I think I should have requested a special VFR clearance before canceling IFR because the reported ceiling at hfd was 900 ft. The actual ceiling was better than 900 ft and VFR conditions existed along the route of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR FLT PLAN CANCELED WHEN CONTINUING IN MARGINAL WX.

Narrative: WX WAS RPTED AS 900 FT CEILING AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. THERE WERE BREAKS IN THE OVCST ALONG THE APCH COURSE (NDB 2 AT HFD). I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN RECEIVING AN ICC FROM A CFII. THE FLT ORIGINATED AT 4B8, WENT TO GON, THEN TO HFD, THEN RETURNED TO 4B8. AT THE TIME OF THE NDB 2 APCH AT HFD ATIS RPTED A 900 FT CEILING. THE APCH STARTED IN IMC BUT SOON BROKE OUT INTO VFR CONDITIONS. THE IFR FLT PLAN WAS CANCELED AND I FLEW VFR TO 4B8. I THINK I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC BEFORE CANCELING IFR BECAUSE THE RPTED CEILING AT HFD WAS 900 FT. THE ACTUAL CEILING WAS BETTER THAN 900 FT AND VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THE RTE OF FLT.

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.