Flight crew of an light transport flew into IMC on a VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	313240
Time
Date	199508
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cbe
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	313240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Another aircraft received IFR clearance before my aircraft and this pilot had not started engines. Trying to stay on schedule, I decided to depart VFR and get IFR airborne. Center would not give IFR clearance because of aircraft on ground with IFR clearance. As we continued to west, ceiling lowered and aircraft departed behind us. To maintain separation, I told center I would stay at 4500 ft, other aircraft would climb to higher altitude before we could get IFR clearance. Both aircraft on radar. Ceiling lowered to the west and after 15 plus mi I was IMC on a VFR flight. I should have waited for aircraft to depart. WX at depart/arrival airports does not guarantee WX en route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT FLEW INTO IMC ON A VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: ANOTHER ACFT RECEIVED IFR CLRNC BEFORE MY ACFT AND THIS PLT HAD NOT STARTED ENGS. TRYING TO STAY ON SCHEDULE, I DECIDED TO DEPART VFR AND GET IFR AIRBORNE. CTR WOULD NOT GIVE IFR CLRNC BECAUSE OF ACFT ON GND WITH IFR CLRNC. AS WE CONTINUED TO W, CEILING LOWERED AND ACFT DEPARTED BEHIND US. TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION, I TOLD CTR I WOULD STAY AT 4500 FT, OTHER ACFT WOULD CLB TO HIGHER ALT BEFORE WE COULD GET IFR CLRNC. BOTH ACFT ON RADAR. CEILING LOWERED TO THE W AND AFTER 15 PLUS MI I WAS IMC ON A VFR FLT. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR ACFT TO DEPART. WX AT DEPART/ARR ARPTS DOES NOT GUARANTEE WX ENRTE.

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.