A C421B CFI goes IMC in VFR flight at 300 ft MSL when departing teb, nj.

Attributes
ACN	599301
Time
Date	200311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : teb.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 18100 flight time type : 660
ASRS Report	599301
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

WX was reported as 6090 ft scattered by the ATIS and tower prior to takeoff. The scattered condition was visibly confirmed at the departure end of the runway. It appeared that there was sufficient space between the clouds to climb VFR. The low cloud tops were a factor in making a VFR departure as we would quickly be VFR on top on the thin stratus layer. Clouds were entered at 300 ft with tops at 800 ft and clear above. The automated WX observing equipment (AO2) only measures directly overhead and did not see the overcast moving in. It was impossible to avoid going into the clouds at such a low altitude and I felt the safest course of action was to continue to VFR on top. The automated observing equipment needs to be able to measure conditions more to the side. By the time it reports a low ceiling, it is too late for an aircraft departing in the direction the clouds are coming from. This is especially true at night when it would be impossible to see such low clouds moving in. The low clouds were not forecast.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C421B CFI GOES IMC IN VFR FLT AT 300 FT MSL WHEN DEPARTING TEB, NJ.

Narrative: WX WAS RPTED AS 6090 FT SCATTERED BY THE ATIS AND TWR PRIOR TO TKOF. THE SCATTERED CONDITION WAS VISIBLY CONFIRMED AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY. IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT SPACE BTWN THE CLOUDS TO CLB VFR. THE LOW CLOUD TOPS WERE A FACTOR IN MAKING A VFR DEP AS WE WOULD QUICKLY BE VFR ON TOP ON THE THIN STRATUS LAYER. CLOUDS WERE ENTERED AT 300 FT WITH TOPS AT 800 FT AND CLR ABOVE. THE AUTOMATED WX OBSERVING EQUIP (AO2) ONLY MEASURES DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND DID NOT SEE THE OVCST MOVING IN. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID GOING INTO THE CLOUDS AT SUCH A LOW ALT AND I FELT THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CONTINUE TO VFR ON TOP. THE AUTOMATED OBSERVING EQUIP NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE CONDITIONS MORE TO THE SIDE. BY THE TIME IT RPTS A LOW CEILING, IT IS TOO LATE FOR AN ACFT DEPARTING IN THE DIRECTION THE CLOUDS ARE COMING FROM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE AT NIGHT WHEN IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SUCH LOW CLOUDS MOVING IN. THE LOW CLOUDS WERE NOT FORECAST.

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.