Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80; Flight Crew Total 2800; Flight Crew Type 2600
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Weather
Tried to get IFR reservation to Oshkosh; but could not because they were all taken. I chose to get IFR reservation to C47; a nearby airport; with the plan to shoot an instrument approach to runway 18 at C47; then either plan A: land and wait for weather to turn VFR and continue from there to OSH VIA visual approach in OSH NOTAM (RIPON TO FISK; then direct OSH; or plan B: if I broke out visually on the approach to C47 then Fly visually to OSH VIA RIPON and FISK per NOTAM. On the descent on the approach; I did break out visually before reaching minimums; at about 1400 MSL. I then elected to fly at 1400 MSL to RIPON to try the visual approach. The problem was cloud bases were ragged and less than 100 feet above me; I had no cloud separation; barely keeping clear of clouds and barely 400-500 feet AGL. I rationalized this was OK because of the special circumstances of air adventure 2017 procedures at OSH. FORTUNATELY; everything worked out and conditions improved to VFR after I passed FISK inbound to OSH Traffic pattern. But I was taking a risk by scud running in such a narrow margin and declaring my own special VFR without ATC permission. I did have ADS-B out on board but that does not show all traffic. Worst case; I could have collided with another plane which was also scud running nearby; or hit a tower/wires. I should have landed at C47 and waited patiently for weather to get better between C47 and FISK before proceeding to OSH.
General aviation pilot reported operating below cloud minimum clearances enroute to OSH after breaking out from a nearby IFR approach.