Atx pilot of an small transport twin took off below required WX visibility minimums due to snow and ...

Attributes
ACN	355620
Time
Date	199612
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : etb
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2730 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	355620
Person 2
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On dec fri 1996, I was departing etb on a part 135 charter. The WX was foggy with a light snow falling. The snow was a wet snow, which came off easily with your hand. The visibility is what I question now. I think the visibility may have dropped below 1 mi. I also question if there may have been some snow staying on the wings. To help prevent this, I had the FBO apply alcohol to the wing to remove any snow which may have been sticking. In hindsight I realize I should have waited until the snow stopped and this would have eliminated my questioning of the visibility and the snow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT OF AN SMT TWIN TOOK OFF BELOW REQUIRED WX VISIBILITY MINIMUMS DUE TO SNOW AND FOG.

Narrative: ON DEC FRI 1996, I WAS DEPARTING ETB ON A PART 135 CHARTER. THE WX WAS FOGGY WITH A LIGHT SNOW FALLING. THE SNOW WAS A WET SNOW, WHICH CAME OFF EASILY WITH YOUR HAND. THE VISIBILITY IS WHAT I QUESTION NOW. I THINK THE VISIBILITY MAY HAVE DROPPED BELOW 1 MI. I ALSO QUESTION IF THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME SNOW STAYING ON THE WINGS. TO HELP PREVENT THIS, I HAD THE FBO APPLY ALCOHOL TO THE WING TO REMOVE ANY SNOW WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN STICKING. IN HINDSIGHT I REALIZE I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE SNOW STOPPED AND THIS WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED MY QUESTIONING OF THE VISIBILITY AND THE SNOW.

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.

Atx pilot of an small transport twin took off below required WX visibility minimums due to snow and fog.