PLT OF AN SMA SEL BROKE OFF AN ILS APCH TO PDX AND CANCELED IFR TO GO VFR TO A NEARBY ARPT WHEREIN THE LOWERING OVCST CAUSED HIM TO LAND BELOW VFR MINIMUMS AT A NEARBY ARPT. (595)

Narrative

DURING AN ILS APCH TO PDX RWY 28R; I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROX 1400 FT MSL WITH PDX AND 59S ARPTS IN SIGHT. MY DEST WAS 1W1; WHICH IS E OF 59S. I CANCELED IFR WITH PDX TWR AND REQUESTED A R TURN TOWARDS 1W1. PART WAY THERE IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CLOUDS WERE TOO LOW TO ALLOW A SAFE FLT TO 1W1; SO I INFORMED THE TWR THAT I WAS GOING TO GO TO VUO; WHICH IS TO THE W. I LISTENED TO VUO ASOS AND LEARNED THAT THE ARPT WAS NOT VFR; SO I TURNED BACK TO 59S; AND INFORMED THE TWR I PLANNED TO LAND THERE. THAT ARPT HAS NO WX RPTING. I WAS AT ABOUT 1000 FT MSL AND CLR OF THE CLOUDS AT MY POS S OF 59S; BUT I COULD SEE THAT THE CLOUDS WERE VERY LOW; APPROX 300 FT AGL; WITH POOR VISIBILITY TO THE N OF THE FIELD. THE CLOUDS APPEARED TO BE MOVING S; SO I ENTERED R DOWNWIND TO RWY 28R AT ABOUT 900 FT MSL; MADE A TIGHT PATTERN AND APCH; AND LANDED. AT ALL TIMES; IN MY JUDGEMENT; I HAD MAINTAINED VFR; THOUGH THE WX WAS MARGINAL AND DETERIORATING. I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES; REMAINED CLR OF CLOUDS; AND FLT VISIBILITY FROM MY POS TO THE ARPT WAS GOOD WITH VISIBILITY S; AND PDX RPTED WX VFR. UPON RETURNING THE AIRPLANE TO THE FBO WHERE I RENTED IT; AN EMPLOYEE INFORMED US THAT A PERSON AT THE ARPT HAD CALLED TO RPT THAT A PERSON RENTING THE AIRPLANE I WAS FLYING LANDED AT 59S WITH THE WX BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. WHILE THE WX WAS MARGINAL; I BELIEVE THE FLT WAS LEGAL. ULTIMATELY THE FLT WAS COMPLETED SAFELY WITH NO UNUSUAL MANEUVERS REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE SAFE OUTCOME. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES.