Narrative:

Approximately 10-12 mi out from anb while on an IFR flight plan I advised atl I was VFR and canceled IFR. My controller had me squawk 1200. He was very busy and I thought I would be easing his workload. I called anniston FSS 123.6 and advised them I was VFR inbound. They advised me they were IFR in heavy rain. At this point I was 5-10 mi out. I reassessed my conditions. I could see all local landmarks, both ends of the runway and 2 people working next to a car next to the taxiway, the ceiling was approximately 2000 ft. After reassessing the conditions and waiting for a break to talk with FSS which was busy talking with other aircraft, I was practically at the airport already. I advised AFSS I was VFR on final for runway 23. They advised me I was not cleared and asked my intentions. I did not land. Instead I flew the length of the runway at about 50 ft AGL. I called birmingham 125.45 and told them I was VFR, just off the end of the runway and wanted clearance to land. They told me to climb to 4000 ft proceed to talladega and fly the approach. Also since bogga was out that would include a DME arc. I advised them I was VFR maybe 100 yards from the end of runway 5 in anniston and a climb would put me in the clouds. He asked me if I was instrument rated and I said yes but the airport was right in front of me. He said I was cleared once established on the localizer. I advised him I was on the localizer and switched to anniston FSS which by this time had sent an observer out to verify that conditions were in fact VFR. I landed and taxied to the hangar. I went by to talk with my flight instructor and FSS friend the next morning. He told me a better way to have handled the situation would have been to ask for a special VFR approach or a contact approach from ATC. To prevent a recurrence in the future I will ask for this or stay with my IFR plan and ATC until I'm on the ground. This whole thing started when I tried to give my busy controller one less plane to have to communicate with. Also a window at AFSS might help. If my controller had been able to look out and immediately verify that conditions were VFR instead of sending out an observer things might have gone smoother. Also the AWOS at anb is located quite a distance from the runway and is notoriously inaccurate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34-200 PLT CANCELED IFR AND DSNDED TO ARPT TFC PATTERN VFR TO LAND AT UNCTLED ARPT WHEREIN THE FAA FSS LOCATED ON THE ARPT SHOWED THE CURRENT WX AS NEEDING AN IFR, OR SPECIAL VFR CLRNC. HOWEVER, THE RPTR FLEW OVER THE RWY AND HAD GOOD VISIBILITY WITH WHICH TO LAND.

Narrative: APPROX 10-12 MI OUT FROM ANB WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN I ADVISED ATL I WAS VFR AND CANCELED IFR. MY CTLR HAD ME SQUAWK 1200. HE WAS VERY BUSY AND I THOUGHT I WOULD BE EASING HIS WORKLOAD. I CALLED ANNISTON FSS 123.6 AND ADVISED THEM I WAS VFR INBOUND. THEY ADVISED ME THEY WERE IFR IN HVY RAIN. AT THIS POINT I WAS 5-10 MI OUT. I REASSESSED MY CONDITIONS. I COULD SEE ALL LCL LANDMARKS, BOTH ENDS OF THE RWY AND 2 PEOPLE WORKING NEXT TO A CAR NEXT TO THE TXWY, THE CEILING WAS APPROX 2000 FT. AFTER REASSESSING THE CONDITIONS AND WAITING FOR A BREAK TO TALK WITH FSS WHICH WAS BUSY TALKING WITH OTHER ACFT, I WAS PRACTICALLY AT THE ARPT ALREADY. I ADVISED AFSS I WAS VFR ON FINAL FOR RWY 23. THEY ADVISED ME I WAS NOT CLRED AND ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I DID NOT LAND. INSTEAD I FLEW THE LENGTH OF THE RWY AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL. I CALLED BIRMINGHAM 125.45 AND TOLD THEM I WAS VFR, JUST OFF THE END OF THE RWY AND WANTED CLRNC TO LAND. THEY TOLD ME TO CLB TO 4000 FT PROCEED TO TALLADEGA AND FLY THE APCH. ALSO SINCE BOGGA WAS OUT THAT WOULD INCLUDE A DME ARC. I ADVISED THEM I WAS VFR MAYBE 100 YARDS FROM THE END OF RWY 5 IN ANNISTON AND A CLB WOULD PUT ME IN THE CLOUDS. HE ASKED ME IF I WAS INST RATED AND I SAID YES BUT THE ARPT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. HE SAID I WAS CLRED ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC. I ADVISED HIM I WAS ON THE LOC AND SWITCHED TO ANNISTON FSS WHICH BY THIS TIME HAD SENT AN OBSERVER OUT TO VERIFY THAT CONDITIONS WERE IN FACT VFR. I LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE HANGAR. I WENT BY TO TALK WITH MY FLT INSTRUCTOR AND FSS FRIEND THE NEXT MORNING. HE TOLD ME A BETTER WAY TO HAVE HANDLED THE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO ASK FOR A SPECIAL VFR APCH OR A CONTACT APCH FROM ATC. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE IN THE FUTURE I WILL ASK FOR THIS OR STAY WITH MY IFR PLAN AND ATC UNTIL I'M ON THE GND. THIS WHOLE THING STARTED WHEN I TRIED TO GIVE MY BUSY CTLR ONE LESS PLANE TO HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH. ALSO A WINDOW AT AFSS MIGHT HELP. IF MY CTLR HAD BEEN ABLE TO LOOK OUT AND IMMEDIATELY VERIFY THAT CONDITIONS WERE VFR INSTEAD OF SENDING OUT AN OBSERVER THINGS MIGHT HAVE GONE SMOOTHER. ALSO THE AWOS AT ANB IS LOCATED QUITE A DISTANCE FROM THE RWY AND IS NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE.

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.