Narrative:

On a flight from mdw to lot, there was an indefinite delay for IFR departures due to WX. The captain and I checked WX at both airports. Mdw was reporting 1000 ft scattered 2500 ft overcast with 4 mi visibility. Lewis was reporting 3900 ft broken and 6 mi via ASOS. The captain decided to go VFR. I voiced my concern due to the scattered layer over mdw. I didn't think we could remain clear of clouds on our climb out. However, it was a scattered layer and with the report of 3900 ft broken less than 18 mi away, we both thought the scattered layer would open up fast. The captain radioed for VFR clearance, we got our code and were cleared for takeoff shortly thereafter. The captain elected to stay below the scattered layer until we could climb through a hole. Our altitude varied between 500-800 ft AGL for the first 10 mi or so. We were below the bases and had good visibility, we were still on departure (mdw). The ceiling suddenly lowered and we were IMC. I stated we needed to climb and tell ATC we could not remain VFR. Instead, the captain descended to approximately 360 ft AGL where ground contact and visibility were regained. We were about 5 mi from lot at this time. At about 2 mi, I called 'airport in sight' and the captain landed on runway 27. Taxiing in, I listened to ASOS (lot) which said it was 2 1/2 mi visibility. I don't remember the ceiling. I think it was 800 ft broken. I told the captain we were wrong to have descended instead of climbing to a safe altitude and contacting ATC and that it would never happen again. He just chuckled. I reported the incident to his supervisor. I feel these are the contributing factors: 1) the captain has high total time and approximately 30+ yrs experience flying exclusive to illinois -- especially chicago area. He is 65 yrs old. He says he knows how things work in chicago. 2) it was my second week of work with him and I didn't feel I could challenge him effectively. 3) the indefinite hold of departures (IFR) gave the sense of urgency to 'sneak out VFR.' I have since talked to employee and have been empowered to feel completely free to challenge unsafe crew decisions without recourse. Even if it means shutting down on the ground and walking off the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW DISAGREEMENT OVER SAFETY OF VFR FLT IN VERY MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF CHICAGO.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM MDW TO LOT, THERE WAS AN INDEFINITE DELAY FOR IFR DEPS DUE TO WX. THE CAPT AND I CHKED WX AT BOTH ARPTS. MDW WAS RPTING 1000 FT SCATTERED 2500 FT OVCST WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. LEWIS WAS RPTING 3900 FT BROKEN AND 6 MI VIA ASOS. THE CAPT DECIDED TO GO VFR. I VOICED MY CONCERN DUE TO THE SCATTERED LAYER OVER MDW. I DIDN'T THINK WE COULD REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS ON OUR CLBOUT. HOWEVER, IT WAS A SCATTERED LAYER AND WITH THE RPT OF 3900 FT BROKEN LESS THAN 18 MI AWAY, WE BOTH THOUGHT THE SCATTERED LAYER WOULD OPEN UP FAST. THE CAPT RADIOED FOR VFR CLRNC, WE GOT OUR CODE AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE CAPT ELECTED TO STAY BELOW THE SCATTERED LAYER UNTIL WE COULD CLB THROUGH A HOLE. OUR ALT VARIED BTWN 500-800 FT AGL FOR THE FIRST 10 MI OR SO. WE WERE BELOW THE BASES AND HAD GOOD VISIBILITY, WE WERE STILL ON DEP (MDW). THE CEILING SUDDENLY LOWERED AND WE WERE IMC. I STATED WE NEEDED TO CLB AND TELL ATC WE COULD NOT REMAIN VFR. INSTEAD, THE CAPT DSNDED TO APPROX 360 FT AGL WHERE GND CONTACT AND VISIBILITY WERE REGAINED. WE WERE ABOUT 5 MI FROM LOT AT THIS TIME. AT ABOUT 2 MI, I CALLED 'ARPT IN SIGHT' AND THE CAPT LANDED ON RWY 27. TAXIING IN, I LISTENED TO ASOS (LOT) WHICH SAID IT WAS 2 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. I DON'T REMEMBER THE CEILING. I THINK IT WAS 800 FT BROKEN. I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE WRONG TO HAVE DSNDED INSTEAD OF CLBING TO A SAFE ALT AND CONTACTING ATC AND THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. HE JUST CHUCKLED. I RPTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS SUPVR. I FEEL THESE ARE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE CAPT HAS HIGH TOTAL TIME AND APPROX 30+ YRS EXPERIENCE FLYING EXCLUSIVE TO ILLINOIS -- ESPECIALLY CHICAGO AREA. HE IS 65 YRS OLD. HE SAYS HE KNOWS HOW THINGS WORK IN CHICAGO. 2) IT WAS MY SECOND WK OF WORK WITH HIM AND I DIDN'T FEEL I COULD CHALLENGE HIM EFFECTIVELY. 3) THE INDEFINITE HOLD OF DEPS (IFR) GAVE THE SENSE OF URGENCY TO 'SNEAK OUT VFR.' I HAVE SINCE TALKED TO EMPLOYEE AND HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED TO FEEL COMPLETELY FREE TO CHALLENGE UNSAFE CREW DECISIONS WITHOUT RECOURSE. EVEN IF IT MEANS SHUTTING DOWN ON THE GND AND WALKING OFF THE FLT.

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.