Small aircraft VFR takeoff entered IMC.

Attributes
ACN	327076
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : prc
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : prc tracon : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	327076
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A fog bank moved over the departure end of runway 29 at prescott airport. The tower had declared runway 29 the active and I observed numerous aircraft (small, GA) taking off and flying into the fog. At first I could not believe my eyes and thought the pilots were crazy as the aircraft involved are known to me and are not equipped for flight in IMC. I watched this occur repeatedly for approximately 20 mins as I prepared to depart in my aircraft on an actual search mission for a downed aircraft. I called ground control and requested to use runway 11 to avoid flying into the fog. My request was denied. I was told to taxi to runway 29. After runup, I requested (from the local controller) clearance for an immediate left turn out to avoid the fog. Again, my request was denied. By now the fog had moved to almost mid-field. The departure in front of me was cleared to takeoff, and I watched him disappear into the fog. Then I was cleared for takeoff and told that I was to 'fly runway heading and tower would call my turnout.' I entered the fog at rotation and proceeded with an instrument takeoff breaking out at approximately 700 ft AGL. In 32 yrs of professional flying, this is the most incredible experience ever. In retrospect, I should have refused to takeoff. The tower was probably illegal in extreme and crazy on top of it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA VFR TKOF ENTERED IMC.

Narrative: A FOG BANK MOVED OVER THE DEP END OF RWY 29 AT PRESCOTT ARPT. THE TWR HAD DECLARED RWY 29 THE ACTIVE AND I OBSERVED NUMEROUS ACFT (SMALL, GA) TAKING OFF AND FLYING INTO THE FOG. AT FIRST I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES AND THOUGHT THE PLTS WERE CRAZY AS THE ACFT INVOLVED ARE KNOWN TO ME AND ARE NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLT IN IMC. I WATCHED THIS OCCUR REPEATEDLY FOR APPROX 20 MINS AS I PREPARED TO DEPART IN MY ACFT ON AN ACTUAL SEARCH MISSION FOR A DOWNED ACFT. I CALLED GND CTL AND REQUESTED TO USE RWY 11 TO AVOID FLYING INTO THE FOG. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED. I WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 29. AFTER RUNUP, I REQUESTED (FROM THE LCL CTLR) CLRNC FOR AN IMMEDIATE L TURN OUT TO AVOID THE FOG. AGAIN, MY REQUEST WAS DENIED. BY NOW THE FOG HAD MOVED TO ALMOST MID-FIELD. THE DEP IN FRONT OF ME WAS CLRED TO TKOF, AND I WATCHED HIM DISAPPEAR INTO THE FOG. THEN I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND TOLD THAT I WAS TO 'FLY RWY HEADING AND TWR WOULD CALL MY TURNOUT.' I ENTERED THE FOG AT ROTATION AND PROCEEDED WITH AN INST TKOF BREAKING OUT AT APPROX 700 FT AGL. IN 32 YRS OF PROFESSIONAL FLYING, THIS IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE EVER. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE REFUSED TO TKOF. THE TWR WAS PROBABLY ILLEGAL IN EXTREME AND CRAZY ON TOP OF IT.

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.