Narrative:

I had planned a flight from north little rock airport to hope arkansas (120 mi southwest). The WX was reported to be 400' with 2 mi visibility, by ATIS and preflight briefing at adams's field in little rock about 10 mi, southeast of lit. It went to the lit airport and after watching things an hour or so, thought the ceiling looked better than reported over at adams's field. The briefing I got said that it was clear southwest of town on my intended route of flight. I fly this trip every week and thought I knew the WX pattern we were experiencing, with this low ceiling sitting between here and the arkansas river, (approximately 5-10 mi southwest). I took off in a rented small aircraft and climbed to 350-400' AGL with 2 mi visibility flying a right hand traffic pattern. I could see that it did look better to the west of the field, and after flying the pattern, departed across the north end of the field (across camp robinson). I was able to climb crossing the camp and did reach clear conditions just across the river. An FAA man was on the ramp at lit and witnessed my takeoff with some friends. He called the FBO that rented the small aircraft concerned over the low ceiling. The FBO immediately called the WX bureau, located on the field, moments after my takeoff and got a measured ceiling of 702' AGL. I was asked to call the FAA man and left word at this office. He called me on tuesday and I went to visit him at his office on wednesday. He agreed that he would throw the file on this away if I would go ahead and finish my instrument rating soon which I plan to do.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TOOK OFF VFR WITH 700' CEILING AND 2 MI VISIBILITY. OBSERVED BY FAA INSPECTOR.

Narrative: I HAD PLANNED A FLT FROM N LITTLE ROCK ARPT TO HOPE ARKANSAS (120 MI SW). THE WX WAS RPTED TO BE 400' WITH 2 MI VISIBILITY, BY ATIS AND PREFLT BRIEFING AT ADAMS'S FIELD IN LITTLE ROCK ABOUT 10 MI, SE OF LIT. IT WENT TO THE LIT ARPT AND AFTER WATCHING THINGS AN HR OR SO, THOUGHT THE CEILING LOOKED BETTER THAN RPTED OVER AT ADAMS'S FIELD. THE BRIEFING I GOT SAID THAT IT WAS CLR SW OF TOWN ON MY INTENDED RTE OF FLT. I FLY THIS TRIP EVERY WK AND THOUGHT I KNEW THE WX PATTERN WE WERE EXPERIENCING, WITH THIS LOW CEILING SITTING BTWN HERE AND THE ARKANSAS RIVER, (APPROX 5-10 MI SW). I TOOK OFF IN A RENTED SMA AND CLBED TO 350-400' AGL WITH 2 MI VISIBILITY FLYING A R HAND TFC PATTERN. I COULD SEE THAT IT DID LOOK BETTER TO THE W OF THE FIELD, AND AFTER FLYING THE PATTERN, DEPARTED ACROSS THE N END OF THE FIELD (ACROSS CAMP ROBINSON). I WAS ABLE TO CLB XING THE CAMP AND DID REACH CLR CONDITIONS JUST ACROSS THE RIVER. AN FAA MAN WAS ON THE RAMP AT LIT AND WITNESSED MY TKOF WITH SOME FRIENDS. HE CALLED THE FBO THAT RENTED THE SMA CONCERNED OVER THE LOW CEILING. THE FBO IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE WX BUREAU, LOCATED ON THE FIELD, MOMENTS AFTER MY TKOF AND GOT A MEASURED CEILING OF 702' AGL. I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE FAA MAN AND L WORD AT THIS OFFICE. HE CALLED ME ON TUESDAY AND I WENT TO VISIT HIM AT HIS OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY. HE AGREED THAT HE WOULD THROW THE FILE ON THIS AWAY IF I WOULD GO AHEAD AND FINISH MY INSTRUMENT RATING SOON WHICH I PLAN TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.