A PA32 departed visibility VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	424584
Time
Date	199901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vis
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 129 flight time total : 2435 flight time type : 94
ASRS Report	424584
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The airport we departed from has an AWOS automated WX reporting system. The conditions at the time, as reported by AWOS, were 600 ft broken, 6-7 mi visibility. We listened to the AWOS, and decided to depart VFR. For some reason it didn't occur to us that the airport was currently IFR and we could not legally depart VFR. After departure, we contacted approach, and they queried us as to where we departed from. We told them, and they said 'that airport is IFR with 600 ft broken....' the controller gave us our squawk code and we continued on our way uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 DEPARTED VIS VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: THE ARPT WE DEPARTED FROM HAS AN AWOS AUTOMATED WX RPTING SYS. THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME, AS RPTED BY AWOS, WERE 600 FT BROKEN, 6-7 MI VISIBILITY. WE LISTENED TO THE AWOS, AND DECIDED TO DEPART VFR. FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO US THAT THE ARPT WAS CURRENTLY IFR AND WE COULD NOT LEGALLY DEPART VFR. AFTER DEP, WE CONTACTED APCH, AND THEY QUERIED US AS TO WHERE WE DEPARTED FROM. WE TOLD THEM, AND THEY SAID 'THAT ARPT IS IFR WITH 600 FT BROKEN....' THE CTLR GAVE US OUR SQUAWK CODE AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY UNEVENTFULLY.

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.