Small aircraft pilot departs airport with marginal conditions then climbs into overcast without clea...

Attributes
ACN	274155
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tan airport : 1b9
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 397 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	274155
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A friend flew his airplane for routine maintenance to a nearby airport and wanted to be picked up. I said I would pick him up in one of our flight school's 152's and we could split expenses. The WX was hazy at the departure airport, but I could see no ceiling. Half-way into the 10 min flight I encountered scattered to broken layers at 800 ft AGL. Scud-running over taunton, ma, I found the airport and landed immediately. Though tan was clearly IFR, I waved the passenger aboard and took off. I erroneously justified my actions because I knew the WX was MVFR at the original departure point. Just out of the pattern, we encountered an overcast layer at 700 ft AGL. Rather than risk hitting ground obstructions, I elected to climb into the overcast. My airplane was not IFR equipped (no ADF). I was lucky the original airport was still open and I broke out in time to see it. I had foolishly gambled on the WX, but will use better judgement in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DEPARTS ARPT WITH MARGINAL CONDITIONS THEN CLBS INTO OVCST WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: A FRIEND FLEW HIS AIRPLANE FOR ROUTINE MAINT TO A NEARBY ARPT AND WANTED TO BE PICKED UP. I SAID I WOULD PICK HIM UP IN ONE OF OUR FLT SCHOOL'S 152'S AND WE COULD SPLIT EXPENSES. THE WX WAS HAZY AT THE DEP ARPT, BUT I COULD SEE NO CEILING. HALF-WAY INTO THE 10 MIN FLT I ENCOUNTERED SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYERS AT 800 FT AGL. SCUD-RUNNING OVER TAUNTON, MA, I FOUND THE ARPT AND LANDED IMMEDIATELY. THOUGH TAN WAS CLRLY IFR, I WAVED THE PAX ABOARD AND TOOK OFF. I ERRONEOUSLY JUSTIFIED MY ACTIONS BECAUSE I KNEW THE WX WAS MVFR AT THE ORIGINAL DEP POINT. JUST OUT OF THE PATTERN, WE ENCOUNTERED AN OVCST LAYER AT 700 FT AGL. RATHER THAN RISK HITTING GND OBSTRUCTIONS, I ELECTED TO CLB INTO THE OVCST. MY AIRPLANE WAS NOT IFR EQUIPPED (NO ADF). I WAS LUCKY THE ORIGINAL ARPT WAS STILL OPEN AND I BROKE OUT IN TIME TO SEE IT. I HAD FOOLISHLY GAMBLED ON THE WX, BUT WILL USE BETTER JUDGEMENT IN THE FUTURE.

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.

Small aircraft pilot departs airport with marginal conditions then climbs into overcast without clearance.