Narrative:

On oct/xx/95 I flew a freighter configured beech 1900C to bethel, ak, with a load of bypass mail landing at XX45 local in VMC conditions. We (first officer and I) noted some localized fog building at that time but the WX from kenai FSS was essentially clear, we had no trouble with a routine visual approach. Unloading the aircraft went quickly and we taxied for departure planning a VFR takeoff. We noted that the fog was building in the airport area. Looking south toward the (closed) control tower we estimated only 1/2 mi visibility but looking northeast, our departure direction, towards the town we estimated 3 mi or more. We did not call FSS to see what they were currently reporting. Upon reaching the runway we observed less than 3 mi visibility and then reasoned that this was still easily within our minimum takeoff requirements (1600 ft RVR or 1/4 mi or adequate visual reference) failing to fully realize that we had not yet obtained an IFR clearance. We departed and called center for our clearance. Center immediately requested a PIREP for inbound company traffic. At this point we were realizing that we had screwed up. We called FSS to learn they were giving 'sky observation, 1/4 mi in fog.' in the interest of correctly informing our incoming company traffic I gave a report of '1/2 - 1 mi visibility in fog extending up to 600 ft MSL and clear above,' completely convincing center that we had departed VFR under prevailing IFR conditions in clear violation of FARS. This is, I believe, a case where haste, the crew's desire to get home, caused the violation. We realized that the reported WX might have deteriorated below VFR minimums yet inexplicably failed to then obtain a clearance even though the WX was easily within legal IFR minimums (we in fact believed it was within VFR tolerances). I can only blame our muddled thought process on the lateness of the hour and as stated our desire for an expeditious departure. I have nothing to offer as to a good suggestion for preventing another occurrence, except my firm conviction that I will be more alert to all the ramifications of my actions in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT CARGO FLT TOOK OFF VFR WHEN THE RPTED WX WAS IFR WITH NO IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: ON OCT/XX/95 I FLEW A FREIGHTER CONFIGURED BEECH 1900C TO BETHEL, AK, WITH A LOAD OF BYPASS MAIL LNDG AT XX45 LCL IN VMC CONDITIONS. WE (FO AND I) NOTED SOME LOCALIZED FOG BUILDING AT THAT TIME BUT THE WX FROM KENAI FSS WAS ESSENTIALLY CLR, WE HAD NO TROUBLE WITH A ROUTINE VISUAL APCH. UNLOADING THE ACFT WENT QUICKLY AND WE TAXIED FOR DEP PLANNING A VFR TKOF. WE NOTED THAT THE FOG WAS BUILDING IN THE ARPT AREA. LOOKING S TOWARD THE (CLOSED) CTL TWR WE ESTIMATED ONLY 1/2 MI VISIBILITY BUT LOOKING NE, OUR DEP DIRECTION, TOWARDS THE TOWN WE ESTIMATED 3 MI OR MORE. WE DID NOT CALL FSS TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE CURRENTLY RPTING. UPON REACHING THE RWY WE OBSERVED LESS THAN 3 MI VISIBILITY AND THEN REASONED THAT THIS WAS STILL EASILY WITHIN OUR MINIMUM TKOF REQUIREMENTS (1600 FT RVR OR 1/4 MI OR ADEQUATE VISUAL REF) FAILING TO FULLY REALIZE THAT WE HAD NOT YET OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC. WE DEPARTED AND CALLED CTR FOR OUR CLRNC. CTR IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A PIREP FOR INBOUND COMPANY TFC. AT THIS POINT WE WERE REALIZING THAT WE HAD SCREWED UP. WE CALLED FSS TO LEARN THEY WERE GIVING 'SKY OBSERVATION, 1/4 MI IN FOG.' IN THE INTEREST OF CORRECTLY INFORMING OUR INCOMING COMPANY TFC I GAVE A RPT OF '1/2 - 1 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG EXTENDING UP TO 600 FT MSL AND CLR ABOVE,' COMPLETELY CONVINCING CTR THAT WE HAD DEPARTED VFR UNDER PREVAILING IFR CONDITIONS IN CLR VIOLATION OF FARS. THIS IS, I BELIEVE, A CASE WHERE HASTE, THE CREW'S DESIRE TO GET HOME, CAUSED THE VIOLATION. WE REALIZED THAT THE RPTED WX MIGHT HAVE DETERIORATED BELOW VFR MINIMUMS YET INEXPLICABLY FAILED TO THEN OBTAIN A CLRNC EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS EASILY WITHIN LEGAL IFR MINIMUMS (WE IN FACT BELIEVED IT WAS WITHIN VFR TOLERANCES). I CAN ONLY BLAME OUR MUDDLED THOUGHT PROCESS ON THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR AND AS STATED OUR DESIRE FOR AN EXPEDITIOUS DEP. I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER AS TO A GOOD SUGGESTION FOR PREVENTING ANOTHER OCCURRENCE, EXCEPT MY FIRM CONVICTION THAT I WILL BE MORE ALERT TO ALL THE RAMIFICATIONS OF MY ACTIONS 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.