C172 pilot descends below MDA during approach in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	723061
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gai.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	723061
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After an hour; the WX had not much improved; but we went to try again. Improvement was forecast. Same hole about 1 mi out and I descended to get below the clouds in the class G. ATC would not give us a contact approach and we were out of radar and radio contact at the position and altitude with ATC. In descending to 800 ft MSL; we were in the clear for a bit and then hit another cloud bank. I had been flying the airplane at 80 KTS; so that if we saw the airport; we could land. In the clouds; and also knowing from the GPS where we were; I saw the REIL and descended and landed. This was probably illegal although we were in class G and the IFR rules are not that clear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT DESCENDS BELOW MDA DURING APCH IN IMC.

Narrative: AFTER AN HR; THE WX HAD NOT MUCH IMPROVED; BUT WE WENT TO TRY AGAIN. IMPROVEMENT WAS FORECAST. SAME HOLE ABOUT 1 MI OUT AND I DSNDED TO GET BELOW THE CLOUDS IN THE CLASS G. ATC WOULD NOT GIVE US A CONTACT APCH AND WE WERE OUT OF RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT AT THE POS AND ALT WITH ATC. IN DSNDING TO 800 FT MSL; WE WERE IN THE CLR FOR A BIT AND THEN HIT ANOTHER CLOUD BANK. I HAD BEEN FLYING THE AIRPLANE AT 80 KTS; SO THAT IF WE SAW THE ARPT; WE COULD LAND. IN THE CLOUDS; AND ALSO KNOWING FROM THE GPS WHERE WE WERE; I SAW THE REIL AND DSNDED AND LANDED. THIS WAS PROBABLY ILLEGAL ALTHOUGH WE WERE IN CLASS G AND THE IFR RULES ARE NOT THAT CLR.

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.