GA small aircraft made a takeoff from yaz VFR in WX reported below VFR mins.

Attributes
ACN	186690
Time
Date	199108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yaz
State Reference	BC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	186690
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

XA00 local tofino WX was reported 400 obscured 3/4 mi in fog. Terminal forecast amended for VFR by XC00. From XB00 fog was patchy at airport and clear to the northeast and southwest of airport within 1 mi. Taxied aircraft to center of runway 33 and the center of the airport became clear. Also at that time, an small aircraft Y on floats flew a low pass about 300 ft down runway 15. I incorrectly assumed airport was now VFR and departed runway 33. Visibility on 33 was 50 mi. After departing I opened flight plan with nanimo radio and they told me reported WX was still 400 overcast with 3/4 mi visibility. Monitoring frequency later, another aircraft was denied special VFR clearance due to reported WX. Lack of sleep affected judgement. Was fishing early on that morning. As I climbed out looking back the airport was 60 percent open. If there was an FSS on field or a rotation beacon I might have acted differently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE A TKOF FROM YAZ VFR IN WX RPTED BELOW VFR MINS.

Narrative: XA00 LCL TOFINO WX WAS RPTED 400 OBSCURED 3/4 MI IN FOG. TERMINAL FORECAST AMENDED FOR VFR BY XC00. FROM XB00 FOG WAS PATCHY AT ARPT AND CLR TO THE NE AND SW OF ARPT WITHIN 1 MI. TAXIED ACFT TO CENTER OF RWY 33 AND THE CENTER OF THE ARPT BECAME CLR. ALSO AT THAT TIME, AN SMA Y ON FLOATS FLEW A LOW PASS ABOUT 300 FT DOWN RWY 15. I INCORRECTLY ASSUMED ARPT WAS NOW VFR AND DEPARTED RWY 33. VISIBILITY ON 33 WAS 50 MI. AFTER DEPARTING I OPENED FLT PLAN WITH NANIMO RADIO AND THEY TOLD ME RPTED WX WAS STILL 400 OVCST WITH 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. MONITORING FREQ LATER, ANOTHER ACFT WAS DENIED SPECIAL VFR CLRNC DUE TO RPTED WX. LACK OF SLEEP AFFECTED JUDGEMENT. WAS FISHING EARLY ON THAT MORNING. AS I CLBED OUT LOOKING BACK THE ARPT WAS 60 PERCENT OPEN. IF THERE WAS AN FSS ON FIELD OR A ROTATION BEACON I MIGHT HAVE ACTED DIFFERENTLY.

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.