Narrative:

During a VOR runway 11 approach to fot I encountered a hole with VFR minimums and cancelled IFR. Prior to reaching the airport I encountered a large area of rapidly drifting fog and mist and was forced to execute the published missed approach back into the clouds even though I had previously cancelled IFR! Thanks to the good work of a sea controller; conflict with other aircraft was avoided. I used poor judgement in canceling IFR prior to landing. I put my aircraft and potentially other aircraft at risk by my actions. In the future; I will never cancel IFR prior to landing unless I have the airport clearly in sight under solid VFR conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had fully expected a VFR approach under the clouds because of his past experience at fot. He was not prepared to execute the missed and feels ATC saved the day for him. As a retired air carrier pilot; he was shaken and embarrassed by that event. Because the WX did not improve; he proceeded to acv.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR C172 ON A FOT VOR RWY 11 APCH CANCELLED IFR IN VMC; SUBSEQUENTLY REENTERING IMC AND EXECUTING A VFR MISSED APCH INTO IMC WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING A VOR RWY 11 APCH TO FOT I ENCOUNTERED A HOLE WITH VFR MINIMUMS AND CANCELLED IFR. PRIOR TO REACHING THE ARPT I ENCOUNTERED A LARGE AREA OF RAPIDLY DRIFTING FOG AND MIST AND WAS FORCED TO EXECUTE THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH BACK INTO THE CLOUDS EVEN THOUGH I HAD PREVIOUSLY CANCELLED IFR! THANKS TO THE GOOD WORK OF A SEA CTLR; CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT WAS AVOIDED. I USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN CANCELING IFR PRIOR TO LNDG. I PUT MY ACFT AND POTENTIALLY OTHER ACFT AT RISK BY MY ACTIONS. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL NEVER CANCEL IFR PRIOR TO LNDG UNLESS I HAVE THE ARPT CLEARLY IN SIGHT UNDER SOLID VFR CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD FULLY EXPECTED A VFR APCH UNDER THE CLOUDS BECAUSE OF HIS PAST EXPERIENCE AT FOT. HE WAS NOT PREPARED TO EXECUTE THE MISSED AND FEELS ATC SAVED THE DAY FOR HIM. AS A RETIRED ACR PLT; HE WAS SHAKEN AND EMBARRASSED BY THAT EVENT. BECAUSE THE WX DID NOT IMPROVE; HE PROCEEDED TO ACV.

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.