Reporter canceled IFR in IMC and descended to VFR conditions.

Attributes
ACN	356720
Time
Date	199612
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : i73
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : day
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 630 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	356720
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan with day FSS for a flight of about 15 mins from my home airport of hamilton-fairfield (hao) to moraine airpark (I73) just south of dayton international-cox. I73 has no instrument approach, so as I got within 1 mi of I73 still in IMC at 3000 ft MSL, I asked for a lower altitude. The controller said he could not do that. At that time I canceled IFR and descended to VFR conditions and broke out at 2100 ft MSL. Since I had passed the I73 by about 2 mi, I made a turn to the south and landed at I73 at which time the airport received a call from the day tower to have me call them, which I did. The traffic manager was not very happy with my actions and said he was not filing any official report. I am sending this just in case he has a change of heart. In retrospect, I can fully understand his concern and will not be doing this again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CANCELED IFR IN IMC AND DSNDED TO VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH DAY FSS FOR A FLT OF ABOUT 15 MINS FROM MY HOME ARPT OF HAMILTON-FAIRFIELD (HAO) TO MORAINE AIRPARK (I73) JUST S OF DAYTON INTL-COX. I73 HAS NO INST APCH, SO AS I GOT WITHIN 1 MI OF I73 STILL IN IMC AT 3000 FT MSL, I ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT. THE CTLR SAID HE COULD NOT DO THAT. AT THAT TIME I CANCELED IFR AND DSNDED TO VFR CONDITIONS AND BROKE OUT AT 2100 FT MSL. SINCE I HAD PASSED THE I73 BY ABOUT 2 MI, I MADE A TURN TO THE S AND LANDED AT I73 AT WHICH TIME THE ARPT RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DAY TWR TO HAVE ME CALL THEM, WHICH I DID. THE TFC MGR WAS NOT VERY HAPPY WITH MY ACTIONS AND SAID HE WAS NOT FILING ANY OFFICIAL RPT. I AM SENDING THIS JUST IN CASE HE HAS A CHANGE OF HEART. IN RETROSPECT, I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND HIS CONCERN AND WILL NOT BE DOING THIS AGAIN.

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.