Narrative:

I was VFR on top. I contacted peoria approach and asked for an IFR clearance to land at peoria. I was given a transponder code and heading and told to remain VFR. After several heading changes I was told by the controller to intercept the localizer and descend to 2400 ft and call the tower at the OM. As I descended into the clouds I realized I had not received a clearance. I contacted the tower and finished the approach. I assume approach thought they had given me a clearance, when in fact they had not. My autoplt had been trying to roll my plane upside down before I contacted peoria. I was distracted by this problem and concentrating on hand flying the approach. This distraction probably kept me from realizing I had not received a clearance until I had entered clouds and was on the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT REQUESTS IFR CLRNC TO GET BELOW VFR ON TOP POS. GIVEN CODE AND HEADING. LATER TOLD TO INTERCEPT LOC. PLT FEELS HE NEVER RECEIVED ACTUAL CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS VFR ON TOP. I CONTACTED PEORIA APCH AND ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO LAND AT PEORIA. I WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE AND HEADING AND TOLD TO REMAIN VFR. AFTER SEVERAL HEADING CHANGES I WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND DSND TO 2400 FT AND CALL THE TWR AT THE OM. AS I DSNDED INTO THE CLOUDS I REALIZED I HAD NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC. I CONTACTED THE TWR AND FINISHED THE APCH. I ASSUME APCH THOUGHT THEY HAD GIVEN ME A CLRNC, WHEN IN FACT THEY HAD NOT. MY AUTOPLT HAD BEEN TRYING TO ROLL MY PLANE UPSIDE DOWN BEFORE I CONTACTED PEORIA. I WAS DISTRACTED BY THIS PROB AND CONCENTRATING ON HAND FLYING THE APCH. THIS DISTR PROBABLY KEPT ME FROM REALIZING I HAD NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC UNTIL I HAD ENTERED CLOUDS AND WAS ON THE APCH.

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.