Aircraft possibly departed VFR in IMC, although this is disputed.

Attributes
ACN	106363
Time
Date	198903
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	106363
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon arrival at pwt WX was given by sea departure as 800' scattered 1500' broken. Arrival time at pwt was xa local time. When departing pwt at sb the WX was better than our arrival, hence I departed VFR. Contacted sea departure on 120.4 and was informed that I had departed when the airport was IFR (500' scattered, 800' broken with a hither overcast visibility 10 mi). AWOS was reporting the ceiling as missing. I believe that this situation could have been avoided if the WX observer would report special observation when WX criteria changes significantly, especially at uncontrolled airports with instrument approachs, hence a control zone. Based on AWOS and my own observations, I fully believe that the reported WX was grossly in error due to no special WX observation having been reported.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT POSSIBLY DEPARTED VFR IN IMC, ALTHOUGH THIS IS DISPUTED.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT PWT WX WAS GIVEN BY SEA DEP AS 800' SCATTERED 1500' BROKEN. ARR TIME AT PWT WAS XA LCL TIME. WHEN DEPARTING PWT AT SB THE WX WAS BETTER THAN OUR ARR, HENCE I DEPARTED VFR. CONTACTED SEA DEP ON 120.4 AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD DEPARTED WHEN THE ARPT WAS IFR (500' SCATTERED, 800' BROKEN WITH A HITHER OVCST VISIBILITY 10 MI). AWOS WAS RPTING THE CEILING AS MISSING. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE WX OBSERVER WOULD RPT SPECIAL OBSERVATION WHEN WX CRITERIA CHANGES SIGNIFICANTLY, ESPECIALLY AT UNCONTROLLED ARPTS WITH INSTRUMENT APCHS, HENCE A CTL ZONE. BASED ON AWOS AND MY OWN OBSERVATIONS, I FULLY BELIEVE THAT THE RPTED WX WAS GROSSLY IN ERROR DUE TO NO SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION HAVING BEEN RPTED.

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.