Narrative:

Flight departed florence, or (6s2) airport into marginal conditions. An occluded front was the predominant WX feature with rain, low ceilings, and some precipitation-induced mist and areas of fog. There is no official WX report at florence, so we could not legally depart IFR (also no IFR departure procedure). In accordance with accepted company procedures, I departed intending to pick up an in-air IFR clearance to ZZZ (our destination). I estimated prevailing visibility at time of departure to be 2 - 2 1/2 mi (acceptable for a part 135 flight minimum of 2 mi for VFR in uncontrolled airspace below 1200 ft AGL. Due to the conditions, we groped our way northward at 500-1000 ft AGL and picked up an IFR clearance about 20-30 mi north of florence (the first available time we could establish radio contact with ATC or FSS). I am submitting this report to 1) draw attention to these types of marginal operations frequently pushed onto flight crew's with little or no resources and very incomplete information -- could rapidly become a safety issue, and 2) protect myself against anyone claiming we violated VFR minimums. Our flight did concern me due to how much we were required to 'push it' VFR until IFR became available to us in-air, but although marginal, I maintain we were 2+ mi visibility and clear of clouds (per far 91.155) and at least 500 ft AGL at all times VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 DEPARTED UNCTLED ARPT IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED FLORENCE, OR (6S2) ARPT INTO MARGINAL CONDITIONS. AN OCCLUDED FRONT WAS THE PREDOMINANT WX FEATURE WITH RAIN, LOW CEILINGS, AND SOME PRECIP-INDUCED MIST AND AREAS OF FOG. THERE IS NO OFFICIAL WX RPT AT FLORENCE, SO WE COULD NOT LEGALLY DEPART IFR (ALSO NO IFR DEP PROC). IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCEPTED COMPANY PROCS, I DEPARTED INTENDING TO PICK UP AN IN-AIR IFR CLRNC TO ZZZ (OUR DEST). I ESTIMATED PREVAILING VISIBILITY AT TIME OF DEP TO BE 2 - 2 1/2 MI (ACCEPTABLE FOR A PART 135 FLT MINIMUM OF 2 MI FOR VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE BELOW 1200 FT AGL. DUE TO THE CONDITIONS, WE GROPED OUR WAY NORTHWARD AT 500-1000 FT AGL AND PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC ABOUT 20-30 MI N OF FLORENCE (THE FIRST AVAILABLE TIME WE COULD ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC OR FSS). I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT TO 1) DRAW ATTN TO THESE TYPES OF MARGINAL OPS FREQUENTLY PUSHED ONTO FLT CREW'S WITH LITTLE OR NO RESOURCES AND VERY INCOMPLETE INFO -- COULD RAPIDLY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, AND 2) PROTECT MYSELF AGAINST ANYONE CLAIMING WE VIOLATED VFR MINIMUMS. OUR FLT DID CONCERN ME DUE TO HOW MUCH WE WERE REQUIRED TO 'PUSH IT' VFR UNTIL IFR BECAME AVAILABLE TO US IN-AIR, BUT ALTHOUGH MARGINAL, I MAINTAIN WE WERE 2+ MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF CLOUDS (PER FAR 91.155) AND AT LEAST 500 FT AGL AT ALL TIMES VFR.

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.