Narrative:

On jun/xa/01 at XA00 I departed on a part 91 flight. WX conditions at time of briefing was VFR with forecasts for possible IFR with layers en route. WX conditions lowered at time of departure to VFR minimums. I departed into these conditions on an IFR flight plan. I am an active IFR pilot but had recently taken a part 135 IFR proficiency ride with FAA inspector and had been disapproved due to a missed approach and holding procedure problem. My belief was that I was still able to fly part 91 IFR. Upon landing I spoke with fellow pilots and was advised that their belief was that my IFR privileges were suspended for both part 135 and part 91 IFR flying due to the disapproved check ride. Further discussion with many other pilots found a split opinion on whether IFR part 91 is possible. I did not fly part 91 IFR after that flight until this matter can be resolved. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was still confused regarding his legal status for taking the IFR flight after he had failed the part 135 IFR proficiency test. Therefore, it was explained that the part 135 proficiency test failure did automatically suspend all of his instrument rating privileges. He further advised that he had since retaken and passed the proficiency test so that he was legal and current for instrument flts.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CESSNA 340 INADVERTENTLY FLEW AN IFR PART 91 FLT WHEN HIS INST RATING PRIVILEGES HAD BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO FAILING A PART 135 INST PROFICIENCY CHK RIDE.

Narrative: ON JUN/XA/01 AT XA00 I DEPARTED ON A PART 91 FLT. WX CONDITIONS AT TIME OF BRIEFING WAS VFR WITH FORECASTS FOR POSSIBLE IFR WITH LAYERS ENRTE. WX CONDITIONS LOWERED AT TIME OF DEP TO VFR MINIMUMS. I DEPARTED INTO THESE CONDITIONS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I AM AN ACTIVE IFR PLT BUT HAD RECENTLY TAKEN A PART 135 IFR PROFICIENCY RIDE WITH FAA INSPECTOR AND HAD BEEN DISAPPROVED DUE TO A MISSED APCH AND HOLDING PROC PROB. MY BELIEF WAS THAT I WAS STILL ABLE TO FLY PART 91 IFR. UPON LNDG I SPOKE WITH FELLOW PLTS AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEIR BELIEF WAS THAT MY IFR PRIVILEGES WERE SUSPENDED FOR BOTH PART 135 AND PART 91 IFR FLYING DUE TO THE DISAPPROVED CHK RIDE. FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MANY OTHER PLTS FOUND A SPLIT OPINION ON WHETHER IFR PART 91 IS POSSIBLE. I DID NOT FLY PART 91 IFR AFTER THAT FLT UNTIL THIS MATTER CAN BE RESOLVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS STILL CONFUSED REGARDING HIS LEGAL STATUS FOR TAKING THE IFR FLT AFTER HE HAD FAILED THE PART 135 IFR PROFICIENCY TEST. THEREFORE, IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE PART 135 PROFICIENCY TEST FAILURE DID AUTOMATICALLY SUSPEND ALL OF HIS INST RATING PRIVILEGES. HE FURTHER ADVISED THAT HE HAD SINCE RETAKEN AND PASSED THE PROFICIENCY TEST SO THAT HE WAS LEGAL AND CURRENT FOR INST FLTS.

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.