Small aircraft pilot encountered low visibility and marginal WX.

Attributes
ACN	480626
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dpa.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dpa.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	480626
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from osh to owb, encountered low ceilings and poor visibility and areas of heavy rain. Landed at landings condominium airport north of dpa airport. Checked WX. Remained there about 1 1/2 hours. Checked WX again. Was told that dpa was 1000 ft and 4 mi visibility and that I could probably be able to get there. Shortly after takeoff, I contacted dpa tower for clearance to land, after diverting around heavy rain cells. I lost radio contact with dpa tower. I saw what I thought was the same road I had been following and followed it. This was not the same road. It took me to arrival. I saw the airport and with no radio, I circled the tower. They gave me a green light to land. Drove home.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENCOUNTERED LOW VISIBILITY AND MARGINAL WX.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM OSH TO OWB, ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND POOR VISIBILITY AND AREAS OF HVY RAIN. LANDED AT LANDINGS CONDOMINIUM ARPT N OF DPA ARPT. CHKED WX. REMAINED THERE ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS. CHKED WX AGAIN. WAS TOLD THAT DPA WAS 1000 FT AND 4 MI VISIBILITY AND THAT I COULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO GET THERE. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, I CONTACTED DPA TWR FOR CLRNC TO LAND, AFTER DIVERTING AROUND HVY RAIN CELLS. I LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH DPA TWR. I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE SAME ROAD I HAD BEEN FOLLOWING AND FOLLOWED IT. THIS WAS NOT THE SAME ROAD. IT TOOK ME TO ARR. I SAW THE ARPT AND WITH NO RADIO, I CIRCLED THE TWR. THEY GAVE ME A GREEN LIGHT TO LAND. DROVE HOME.

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.