AN SMT PLT; ON APCH TO WRI; DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

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WHILE FLYING A TURBINE COMMANDER FROM IND TO VAY ON AN IFR FLT; I FORGOT THAT APCH (MCGUIRE) HAD NOT ACTUALLY GIVEN ME CLRNC FOR THE APCH. THE WX AT THE TIME WAS CEILING 2200 FT AND 7 MI. I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO RBV VOR AND THE 236 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND; MAINTAIN 2000 FT. THE 236 DEG RADIAL IS THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND IS 'NOPT.' AT 16.3 DME (THE FAF) I WAS VISUAL BUT TOO CLOSE TO THE CLOUDS ABOVE TO BE LEGAL VFR; SO I BEGAN DSCNT AS DEPICTED ON THE APCH CHART. APCH CALLED TO VERIFY MY ALT AND INFORMED ME THAT I WAS ONLY CLRED DOWN TO 2000 FT. AT THAT TIME I WAS AT 1200 FT SO I CANCELED IFR AND APOLOGIZED FOR MY ERROR. I AM STILL PUZZLED AS TO WHY APCH HAD NOT ISSUED APCH CLRNC BEFORE ARR AT THE FAF. THE FOLLOWING DAY; MAKING THE SAME FLT; I HAD TO REQUEST APCH CLRNC ON FINAL. I WILL SEEK ADVICE ON THIS. IN RETROSPECT; I FEEL MY BIGGEST ERROR WAS NOT SEEKING APCH CLRNC WELL BEFORE THE HIGH COCKPIT WORKLOAD POINT OF FAF ON A NON PRECISION APCH. MY TRYING TO SHOOT A COUPLED APCH FOLLOWING GPS GUIDANCE WHILE CONFIRMING THE INDICATIONS WITH VOR EXACERBATED THIS EVENT. SINCE I WAS VISUAL WITH THE GND; I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE GOOD PRACTICE. I WILL SEEK ADDITIONAL DEDICATED TRAINING ON THIS UNIT.