Narrative:

On arrival into smx the WX was reported 300 thin broken, 6 mi visibility in fog. While being vectored for a localizer back course, I spotted the airport and shot a visual approach. After landing, I started to try to coordinate an IFR departure clearance in anticipation of possible worsening WX to IFR. The tower closes at XX00 PDT. I was trying to obtain a clearance with a void time because I would be departing after XX00. Ground was unable to coordinate the clearance. Before they closed, I asked for the latest WX and if the control zone would be effective after tower closure. I was told the WX hadn't come in and the control zone would not be in effect after tower closure. This brought a conclusion to my mind that no further WX updates would be possible. Also, since I was scheduled to depart in 2 mins, I was starting to feel pressed for time. I tried to get my clearance by phoning hawthorne FSS. They were not able to give my clearance to me. I was told to phone ZLA. Since I believed no further WX updates were possible, I didn't ask for one, and FSS didn't volunteer the WX. A phoned ZLA and was told that they had an aircraft inbound and they suggested I call them on frequency 119.05 on taxi out once the aircraft had landed. I loaded the aircraft and started up. I realize now I should have pressed center to give me a departure window with a void time so I couldn't get backed into a corner later. I was unable to raise center on frequency. The phone that was available to me was now locked behind closed doors. I should have shut down at this point and tried to coordinate a clearance with FSS over the radio. Instead, while searching for other options, I found a large hole in the clouds extending from the southeast 1/3 to 1/2 of the airport for as far as I could see southeast (my direction of flight). The cloud layer still appeared to be thin and visibility appeared to be at least 3 mi. I also thought the airspace was uncontrolled so I departed. I was able to maintain cloud clearance and the rest of the flight was uneventful. On climb out, I heard center advise an aircraft inbound that the WX was 200 broken 2 1/2 mi visibility in fog. Center also advised the control zone was effective. In retrospect, I was concerned about the WX and airspace. I was also concerned because I did not want to be operating IFR in uncontrolled airspace (which company manual does not allow). Through some assumptions, misunderstandings, and incorrect information (from small aircraft ground) I was operating VFR in airspace below VFR WX minimums. I also allowed myself to be pressured by my schedule and desire to get home. Fortunately, I was able to learn a valuable lesson without endangering myself or others.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI DEPARTS VFR IN CTL ZONE WHEN BELOW MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO SMX THE WX WAS RPTED 300 THIN BROKEN, 6 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A LOC BACK COURSE, I SPOTTED THE ARPT AND SHOT A VISUAL APCH. AFTER LNDG, I STARTED TO TRY TO COORDINATE AN IFR DEP CLRNC IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLE WORSENING WX TO IFR. THE TWR CLOSES AT XX00 PDT. I WAS TRYING TO OBTAIN A CLRNC WITH A VOID TIME BECAUSE I WOULD BE DEPARTING AFTER XX00. GND WAS UNABLE TO COORDINATE THE CLRNC. BEFORE THEY CLOSED, I ASKED FOR THE LATEST WX AND IF THE CTL ZONE WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AFTER TWR CLOSURE. I WAS TOLD THE WX HADN'T COME IN AND THE CTL ZONE WOULD NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER TWR CLOSURE. THIS BROUGHT A CONCLUSION TO MY MIND THAT NO FURTHER WX UPDATES WOULD BE POSSIBLE. ALSO, SINCE I WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART IN 2 MINS, I WAS STARTING TO FEEL PRESSED FOR TIME. I TRIED TO GET MY CLRNC BY PHONING HAWTHORNE FSS. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GIVE MY CLRNC TO ME. I WAS TOLD TO PHONE ZLA. SINCE I BELIEVED NO FURTHER WX UPDATES WERE POSSIBLE, I DIDN'T ASK FOR ONE, AND FSS DIDN'T VOLUNTEER THE WX. A PHONED ZLA AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD AN ACFT INBOUND AND THEY SUGGESTED I CALL THEM ON FREQ 119.05 ON TAXI OUT ONCE THE ACFT HAD LANDED. I LOADED THE ACFT AND STARTED UP. I REALIZE NOW I SHOULD HAVE PRESSED CTR TO GIVE ME A DEP WINDOW WITH A VOID TIME SO I COULDN'T GET BACKED INTO A CORNER LATER. I WAS UNABLE TO RAISE CTR ON FREQ. THE PHONE THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO ME WAS NOW LOCKED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I SHOULD HAVE SHUT DOWN AT THIS POINT AND TRIED TO COORDINATE A CLRNC WITH FSS OVER THE RADIO. INSTEAD, WHILE SEARCHING FOR OTHER OPTIONS, I FOUND A LARGE HOLE IN THE CLOUDS EXTENDING FROM THE SE 1/3 TO 1/2 OF THE ARPT FOR AS FAR AS I COULD SEE SE (MY DIRECTION OF FLT). THE CLOUD LAYER STILL APPEARED TO BE THIN AND VISIBILITY APPEARED TO BE AT LEAST 3 MI. I ALSO THOUGHT THE AIRSPACE WAS UNCTLED SO I DEPARTED. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNC AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. ON CLBOUT, I HEARD CTR ADVISE AN ACFT INBOUND THAT THE WX WAS 200 BROKEN 2 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG. CTR ALSO ADVISED THE CTL ZONE WAS EFFECTIVE. IN RETROSPECT, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WX AND AIRSPACE. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO BE OPERATING IFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE (WHICH COMPANY MANUAL DOES NOT ALLOW). THROUGH SOME ASSUMPTIONS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AND INCORRECT INFO (FROM SMA GND) I WAS OPERATING VFR IN AIRSPACE BELOW VFR WX MINIMUMS. I ALSO ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE PRESSURED BY MY SCHEDULE AND DESIRE TO GET HOME. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON WITHOUT ENDANGERING MYSELF OR OTHERS.

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.