Narrative:

Mmu = 187 ft MSL, cdw = 175 ft MSL. Aircraft was to be relocated from mmu to cdw, a distance of 7.1 NM. ATIS at mmu plus asking around control 2 times, tower 2 times, and landing aircraft 1 time gave ceiling 800 ft visibility 1 3/4 mi. Asking mmu tower the conditions at cdw 1 time (and ground 1 time) gave cdw at 900 ft and 3 mi visibility. Both airports are IFR, with overlapping 'control zones.' SVFR requested and approved. Mmu was unable to approve IFR tower to tower. After much delay (and frequent ceiling and visibility update) I took off with mmu 800 ft 1 3/4 mi visibility and cdw 900 ft and 3 mi visibility. Expecting to go into improving WX and visibility at 100 ft MSL, I ran into clouds. Descended to 500 ft MSL, and then to 400 ft MSL (this is approximately 200 ft AGL) for trip to cdw -- total of 4 min flight. I did find and land at cdw uneventfully. WX at a station covers 5 mi radius. Both airports overlap. I should have had better ceiling and visibility than reported. (I even got WX as 900 ft 3 mi visibility from cdw tower en route.) however, ceiling was much worse than reported, as was the visibility. Had I known this I would not have taken off. I traveled most of the 7 mi at approximately 200-300 ft AGL -- not safe! I was lucky to find the airport and not cause an 'unable to maintain VFR' emergency. SVFR should be used to get out to VFR or get in from VFR -- but not IFR to IFR overlapping airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA SEL GOT CAUGHT IN WX WHILE ON A SVFR FLT FROM AN ARPT CTL AREA TO AN ADJOINING ONE. IN ADDITION, THE PLT FLEW BELOW THE MSA.

Narrative: MMU = 187 FT MSL, CDW = 175 FT MSL. ACFT WAS TO BE RELOCATED FROM MMU TO CDW, A DISTANCE OF 7.1 NM. ATIS AT MMU PLUS ASKING AROUND CTL 2 TIMES, TWR 2 TIMES, AND LNDG ACFT 1 TIME GAVE CEILING 800 FT VISIBILITY 1 3/4 MI. ASKING MMU TWR THE CONDITIONS AT CDW 1 TIME (AND GND 1 TIME) GAVE CDW AT 900 FT AND 3 MI VISIBILITY. BOTH ARPTS ARE IFR, WITH OVERLAPPING 'CTL ZONES.' SVFR REQUESTED AND APPROVED. MMU WAS UNABLE TO APPROVE IFR TWR TO TWR. AFTER MUCH DELAY (AND FREQUENT CEILING AND VISIBILITY UPDATE) I TOOK OFF WITH MMU 800 FT 1 3/4 MI VISIBILITY AND CDW 900 FT AND 3 MI VISIBILITY. EXPECTING TO GO INTO IMPROVING WX AND VISIBILITY AT 100 FT MSL, I RAN INTO CLOUDS. DSNDED TO 500 FT MSL, AND THEN TO 400 FT MSL (THIS IS APPROX 200 FT AGL) FOR TRIP TO CDW -- TOTAL OF 4 MIN FLT. I DID FIND AND LAND AT CDW UNEVENTFULLY. WX AT A STATION COVERS 5 MI RADIUS. BOTH ARPTS OVERLAP. I SHOULD HAVE HAD BETTER CEILING AND VISIBILITY THAN RPTED. (I EVEN GOT WX AS 900 FT 3 MI VISIBILITY FROM CDW TWR ENRTE.) HOWEVER, CEILING WAS MUCH WORSE THAN RPTED, AS WAS THE VISIBILITY. HAD I KNOWN THIS I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF. I TRAVELED MOST OF THE 7 MI AT APPROX 200-300 FT AGL -- NOT SAFE! I WAS LUCKY TO FIND THE ARPT AND NOT CAUSE AN 'UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR' EMER. SVFR SHOULD BE USED TO GET OUT TO VFR OR GET IN FROM VFR -- BUT NOT IFR TO IFR OVERLAPPING ARPTS.

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.