Narrative:

There was a broken to overcast layer over the bay area, traffic (IFR) was backed up for 20 mins. I descended below the layer near napa county airport, reporting 2200' broken and 10 mi, clear skies to the northwest, deciding that it would be quicker to get into oak VFR. Oak was reporting 1500' overcast and 10 mi visibility. I was following the freeway (880) south at 1000-1200' MSL. I was told by bay approach to stay 3 mi north of alameda NAS, which I complied. Upon landing in oak I heard another aircraft on oak tower frequency asking for a special VFR through the alameda control zone. This means that alameda must have been reporting less than a 1000' ceiling. I was flying at 1000' with the ceiling well above me and excellent visibility. After hearing the other aircraft receive the special VFR, I assumed that I must have flown through the alameda control zone when they were reporting less than VFR minimums, although it was obviously above those minimums to me while transitioning the area. So, I'm not sure, but I may have been in a control zone that was reporting less than VFR minimums west/O a special VFR clearance. No reference to this event was made over the radio by bay approach or oak tower. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that nobody ever questioned his actions. He merely questioned because of hearing request for special VFR clearance after landing. Company requests use of VFR whenever possible to save time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: QUESTIONED CTL ZONE PENETRATION.

Narrative: THERE WAS A BROKEN TO OVCST LAYER OVER THE BAY AREA, TFC (IFR) WAS BACKED UP FOR 20 MINS. I DSNDED BELOW THE LAYER NEAR NAPA COUNTY ARPT, RPTING 2200' BROKEN AND 10 MI, CLEAR SKIES TO THE NW, DECIDING THAT IT WOULD BE QUICKER TO GET INTO OAK VFR. OAK WAS RPTING 1500' OVCST AND 10 MI VIS. I WAS FOLLOWING THE FREEWAY (880) S AT 1000-1200' MSL. I WAS TOLD BY BAY APCH TO STAY 3 MI N OF ALAMEDA NAS, WHICH I COMPLIED. UPON LNDG IN OAK I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT ON OAK TWR FREQ ASKING FOR A SPECIAL VFR THROUGH THE ALAMEDA CTL ZONE. THIS MEANS THAT ALAMEDA MUST HAVE BEEN RPTING LESS THAN A 1000' CEILING. I WAS FLYING AT 1000' WITH THE CEILING WELL ABOVE ME AND EXCELLENT VIS. AFTER HEARING THE OTHER ACFT RECEIVE THE SPECIAL VFR, I ASSUMED THAT I MUST HAVE FLOWN THROUGH THE ALAMEDA CTL ZONE WHEN THEY WERE RPTING LESS THAN VFR MINIMUMS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUSLY ABOVE THOSE MINIMUMS TO ME WHILE TRANSITIONING THE AREA. SO, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I MAY HAVE BEEN IN A CTL ZONE THAT WAS RPTING LESS THAN VFR MINIMUMS W/O A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC. NO REF TO THIS EVENT WAS MADE OVER THE RADIO BY BAY APCH OR OAK TWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT NOBODY EVER QUESTIONED HIS ACTIONS. HE MERELY QUESTIONED BECAUSE OF HEARING REQUEST FOR SPECIAL VFR CLRNC AFTER LNDG. COMPANY REQUESTS USE OF VFR WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO SAVE TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.