Narrative:

Part 135 air taxi operation carrying cargo. WX was clear on the leg from missoula, mt, to kalispell but I picked up an IFR flight plan from spokane approach because fog was reported moving in from the north into the glacier park international airport. Prior to leaving missoula I received a WX update from great falls FSS. The ASOS was reporting 1/2 mi visibility, freezing fog. The minimums for the ILS into glacier park runway 2 was 1/2 mi. I received vectors for the ILS and on a 10 mi final I could see the outline of the runway and sequence flashers through a 100 ft layer of fog on the runway. At the time of the landing, the ASOS was reporting 1/4 mi visibility. Because I had ground contact throughout the approach I landed the airplane, which was a violation of 135 regulations. I taxied to the FBO, picked up the cargo and departed on runway 20, again in violation of far 135 (needed 1/2 mi to depart). On the takeoff run I wanted to accelerate to vr +10 KTS for safety. At this speed or 90-100 KTS I noticed the headlights of a vehicle on the runway (doing a braking action test) and I pulled the airplane up and over the vehicle. Contributing factors: WX was below takeoff and landing minimums. Pilot violated FARS. It was only the second night flight for me in a C310. In previous aircraft that I have flown the radio lights do not illuminate if the avionics switch is off. In the C310, a separate rheostat controls radio lighting. Because the radio lights were on, I thought the radios were functioning when in reality the avionics switch was in the off position. The ground vehicle did not hear me making taxi and takeoff calls because my radios were off. I should have known something was wrong when I failed to reach ZLC to get my IFR clearance. I am a people pleaser and wanted to accomplish the mission at any cost. Corrective actions: notified employer and glacier park airport manager. The manager has changed 'braking action' procedures, to include checking both ends of runway before proceeding onto the runway in low visibility sits. I received additional training concerning options and regulations. I could have landed VFR at a city airport 10 mi away and had the cargo delivered to that location. I received additional training on checklist use, FARS, and switchology. I realize that pressure to accomplish the mission cannot cloud my judgement and decision making.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ATX CARGO C310 LANDED BELOW WX MINIMUM AND SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK OFF BELOW WX MINIMUMS. IN ADDITION, THE PLT TOOK OFF OVER AN ARPT VEHICLE WHICH WAS ON THE RWY TO CHK RWY BRAKING ACTION. HE XMITTED HIS ACTIONS, BUT WAS NOT HEARD SINCE THE RADIOS WERE NOT ON. HE ALSO OPERATED VFR IN IMC WHEN HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: PART 135 AIR TAXI OP CARRYING CARGO. WX WAS CLR ON THE LEG FROM MISSOULA, MT, TO KALISPELL BUT I PICKED UP AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SPOKANE APCH BECAUSE FOG WAS RPTED MOVING IN FROM THE N INTO THE GLACIER PARK INTL ARPT. PRIOR TO LEAVING MISSOULA I RECEIVED A WX UPDATE FROM GREAT FALLS FSS. THE ASOS WAS RPTING 1/2 MI VISIBILITY, FREEZING FOG. THE MINIMUMS FOR THE ILS INTO GLACIER PARK RWY 2 WAS 1/2 MI. I RECEIVED VECTORS FOR THE ILS AND ON A 10 MI FINAL I COULD SEE THE OUTLINE OF THE RWY AND SEQUENCE FLASHERS THROUGH A 100 FT LAYER OF FOG ON THE RWY. AT THE TIME OF THE LNDG, THE ASOS WAS RPTING 1/4 MI VISIBILITY. BECAUSE I HAD GND CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE APCH I LANDED THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WAS A VIOLATION OF 135 REGS. I TAXIED TO THE FBO, PICKED UP THE CARGO AND DEPARTED ON RWY 20, AGAIN IN VIOLATION OF FAR 135 (NEEDED 1/2 MI TO DEPART). ON THE TKOF RUN I WANTED TO ACCELERATE TO VR +10 KTS FOR SAFETY. AT THIS SPD OR 90-100 KTS I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS OF A VEHICLE ON THE RWY (DOING A BRAKING ACTION TEST) AND I PULLED THE AIRPLANE UP AND OVER THE VEHICLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WX WAS BELOW TKOF AND LNDG MINIMUMS. PLT VIOLATED FARS. IT WAS ONLY THE SECOND NIGHT FLT FOR ME IN A C310. IN PREVIOUS ACFT THAT I HAVE FLOWN THE RADIO LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE IF THE AVIONICS SWITCH IS OFF. IN THE C310, A SEPARATE RHEOSTAT CTLS RADIO LIGHTING. BECAUSE THE RADIO LIGHTS WERE ON, I THOUGHT THE RADIOS WERE FUNCTIONING WHEN IN REALITY THE AVIONICS SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POS. THE GND VEHICLE DID NOT HEAR ME MAKING TAXI AND TKOF CALLS BECAUSE MY RADIOS WERE OFF. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN I FAILED TO REACH ZLC TO GET MY IFR CLRNC. I AM A PEOPLE PLEASER AND WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION AT ANY COST. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: NOTIFIED EMPLOYER AND GLACIER PARK ARPT MGR. THE MGR HAS CHANGED 'BRAKING ACTION' PROCS, TO INCLUDE CHKING BOTH ENDS OF RWY BEFORE PROCEEDING ONTO THE RWY IN LOW VISIBILITY SITS. I RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING CONCERNING OPTIONS AND REGS. I COULD HAVE LANDED VFR AT A CITY ARPT 10 MI AWAY AND HAD THE CARGO DELIVERED TO THAT LOCATION. I RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON CHKLIST USE, FARS, AND SWITCHOLOGY. I REALIZE THAT PRESSURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION CANNOT CLOUD MY JUDGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING.

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.