SMA X VFR IN IMC.

Narrative

SMA X DEPARTED HWO CONTACTED MIA APCH 128.6; REQUESTED PRACTICE ILS 9L AT OPF. I BELIEVE I ALSO REQUESTED IFR AT THAT TIME. RECEIVED CLRNC WITH SQUAWK; ALT AND HDG. ON RADAR VECTOR TO TURN IN TOWARD ILS CTLR STATED CLRED 1500 FT TO 1900 FT. THE INITIAL APCH ALT IS 1900 FT. I RPTED CLBING TO 1900 FT. AFTER RECEIVING FINAL VECTOR TOWARD ILS; AND HEARING 'CLRED FOR IL 9. OPA LOCKA' I WAS HANDED OFF TO OPF ATCT ON 120.7. OPF IMMEDIATELY GAVE ME TFC AT 3 MI AND 12 O'CLOCK; RPT TFC IN SIGHT. I REPLIED THAT I WAS IN IMC. OPF TWR STATED THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN IFR FLT PLAN OR CLRNC. OPF DIRECTED ME TO TURN L 360 DEGS AND CONTACT MIAMI APCH. AT NO TIME DID ANY CTLR TELL ME TO MAINTAIN VFR. I CONTACTED MIAMI APCH AND COMPLETED SEVERAL OTHER APCHS. RECOMMEND: THAT THE USE OF THE WORD 'PRACTICE APCH' BE STOPPED. PRACTICE APCHS SHOULD HAVE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS NORMAL IFR APCHS (IFR; PLANE EQUIPPED AND PLT QUALIFIED). ANY INST APCH SHOULD BE UNDER IFR RULES ONLY. DURING THIS WHOLE SITUATION; UNTIL I CONTACTED OPF ATCT; I THOUGHT THAT THE CLRNC I RECEIVED WAS AN IFR CLRNC.