Narrative:

I was practicing IFR approachs today in fresno; ca; in actual IFR conditions. The ASOS at fresno chandler (fch) was reporting 600 ft; 3 mi. Fch has an elevation of 278 ft MSL. Fch is located under class 3 airspace which has a base of 700 ft AGL; which translates to 978 ft MSL. I was cleared for the VOR/DME-GPS(C) approach to fch. Minimums for this approach were 960 ft MSL which translates to 682 ft AGL. I crossed over fch at 960 ft MSL. Without ever seeing the airport. I could see the ground hazily straight down only and remained in the clouds. At the missed approach; I executed the missed approach procedure and went back to fresno approach. An airplane came up on fresno approach frequency asking if approach was working any aircraft at fch. Fresno approach said yes; that he had cleared an aircraft for the approach. From the conversation; I concluded that the other airplane was VFR and shooting lndgs in the traffic pattern at fch. His pattern had to be at or below 600 ft AGL since the cloud bases were reported at 600 ft overcast. I never saw an airplane on the approach; let alone the airport. He must have seen me. Fresno approach never called this aircraft as a target. The other aircraft never suggested that a conflict had occurred. He just asked if fresno approach was working any aircraft at fch. It appears that everyone was proceeding legally; but the IFR/VFR interface came pretty close today. I was legally on an IFR approach and maintained course and altitude properly. I never went below the 960 ft MSL minimums; never saw the airport; never saw another plane; and executed the miss according to instruction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 PLT EXPRESSES CONCERN REGARDING POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN IFR AND VFR TFC AT FCH; AN UNCTLED AIRFIELD.

Narrative: I WAS PRACTICING IFR APCHS TODAY IN FRESNO; CA; IN ACTUAL IFR CONDITIONS. THE ASOS AT FRESNO CHANDLER (FCH) WAS RPTING 600 FT; 3 MI. FCH HAS AN ELEVATION OF 278 FT MSL. FCH IS LOCATED UNDER CLASS 3 AIRSPACE WHICH HAS A BASE OF 700 FT AGL; WHICH TRANSLATES TO 978 FT MSL. I WAS CLRED FOR THE VOR/DME-GPS(C) APCH TO FCH. MINIMUMS FOR THIS APCH WERE 960 FT MSL WHICH TRANSLATES TO 682 FT AGL. I CROSSED OVER FCH AT 960 FT MSL. WITHOUT EVER SEEING THE ARPT. I COULD SEE THE GND HAZILY STRAIGHT DOWN ONLY AND REMAINED IN THE CLOUDS. AT THE MISSED APCH; I EXECUTED THE MISSED APCH PROC AND WENT BACK TO FRESNO APCH. AN AIRPLANE CAME UP ON FRESNO APCH FREQ ASKING IF APCH WAS WORKING ANY ACFT AT FCH. FRESNO APCH SAID YES; THAT HE HAD CLRED AN ACFT FOR THE APCH. FROM THE CONVERSATION; I CONCLUDED THAT THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS VFR AND SHOOTING LNDGS IN THE TFC PATTERN AT FCH. HIS PATTERN HAD TO BE AT OR BELOW 600 FT AGL SINCE THE CLOUD BASES WERE RPTED AT 600 FT OVCST. I NEVER SAW AN AIRPLANE ON THE APCH; LET ALONE THE ARPT. HE MUST HAVE SEEN ME. FRESNO APCH NEVER CALLED THIS ACFT AS A TARGET. THE OTHER ACFT NEVER SUGGESTED THAT A CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED. HE JUST ASKED IF FRESNO APCH WAS WORKING ANY ACFT AT FCH. IT APPEARS THAT EVERYONE WAS PROCEEDING LEGALLY; BUT THE IFR/VFR INTERFACE CAME PRETTY CLOSE TODAY. I WAS LEGALLY ON AN IFR APCH AND MAINTAINED COURSE AND ALT PROPERLY. I NEVER WENT BELOW THE 960 FT MSL MINIMUMS; NEVER SAW THE ARPT; NEVER SAW ANOTHER PLANE; AND EXECUTED THE MISS ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.