Air carrier light transport made a VFR takeoff in IMC WX.

Attributes
ACN	91303
Time
Date	198807
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tlh
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	91303
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 71508 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	91258
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 1250
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was ready for taxi at XA25. The captain informed me as first officer and PF the WX was VFR. I called tlh radio requesting taxi information and IFR clearance to mco. Tlh radio was unable to issue the clearance due to inbound traffic. We then informed radio we were taxiing to runway 18. Holding short, we requested the position of the inbound traffic and they reported over the VOR. The captain elected to depart VFR and positioned the aircraft on the runway and called for the runway items checklist. We initiated the takeoff and as PF I took over rudder steering at 60 KTS. On climb out we encountered an unreported area of clouds and leveled out at 300' to maintain VFR. About 1/2 mi past the end of the runway we encountered unlimited ceiling and visual contact on the inbound traffic. At this time we were informed the traffic had passed over us at 1300'. The captain reported seeing the traffic flying away from us. We were then asked if we wished to pick up our IFR clearance. The captain replied that we did want the clearance. I was unable to see a ceiling limit on taxi or takeoff roll due to the low amount of light at that time of the morning. Also, at no time did I see the inbound traffic, either prior to taking the runway or after takeoff. Supplemental information from acn 91258: we informed tlh FSS that we were taxiing for departure and requested our clearance. Tlh FSS responded with the altimeter setting, the winds and that the active was 18-36. He made no mention of the ceiling. I asked for the position of the air carrier Y. A voice on tower frequency said, 'air carrier Y is over the VOR.' we both visually checked final and it appeared clear of any aircraft. A new voice on tower frequency said, 'clear the runway, air carrier Y on short final.' I responded that we were taking off. To abort at this point would have surely created a conflict. At about 200' AGL I heard a voice saying that we had a jet directly over our aircraft, so I instructed first officer to level off. I called the traffic in sight. Air carrier Y responded that the VOR approach did not get him down through a low cloud deck and that he would like to come back around for the ILS. The tower then asked me why I had departed west/O a clearance when the airport had a 400' broken layer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT MADE A VFR TKOF IN IMC WX.

Narrative: FLT WAS READY FOR TAXI AT XA25. THE CAPT INFORMED ME AS F/O AND PF THE WX WAS VFR. I CALLED TLH RADIO REQUESTING TAXI INFO AND IFR CLRNC TO MCO. TLH RADIO WAS UNABLE TO ISSUE THE CLRNC DUE TO INBND TFC. WE THEN INFORMED RADIO WE WERE TAXIING TO RWY 18. HOLDING SHORT, WE REQUESTED THE POS OF THE INBND TFC AND THEY RPTED OVER THE VOR. THE CAPT ELECTED TO DEPART VFR AND POSITIONED THE ACFT ON THE RWY AND CALLED FOR THE RWY ITEMS CHKLIST. WE INITIATED THE TKOF AND AS PF I TOOK OVER RUDDER STEERING AT 60 KTS. ON CLBOUT WE ENCOUNTERED AN UNREPORTED AREA OF CLOUDS AND LEVELED OUT AT 300' TO MAINTAIN VFR. ABOUT 1/2 MI PAST THE END OF THE RWY WE ENCOUNTERED UNLIMITED CEILING AND VISUAL CONTACT ON THE INBND TFC. AT THIS TIME WE WERE INFORMED THE TFC HAD PASSED OVER US AT 1300'. THE CAPT RPTED SEEING THE TFC FLYING AWAY FROM US. WE WERE THEN ASKED IF WE WISHED TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE DID WANT THE CLRNC. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE A CEILING LIMIT ON TAXI OR TKOF ROLL DUE TO THE LOW AMOUNT OF LIGHT AT THAT TIME OF THE MORNING. ALSO, AT NO TIME DID I SEE THE INBND TFC, EITHER PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY OR AFTER TKOF. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 91258: WE INFORMED TLH FSS THAT WE WERE TAXIING FOR DEP AND REQUESTED OUR CLRNC. TLH FSS RESPONDED WITH THE ALTIMETER SETTING, THE WINDS AND THAT THE ACTIVE WAS 18-36. HE MADE NO MENTION OF THE CEILING. I ASKED FOR THE POS OF THE ACR Y. A VOICE ON TWR FREQ SAID, 'ACR Y IS OVER THE VOR.' WE BOTH VISUALLY CHKED FINAL AND IT APPEARED CLR OF ANY ACFT. A NEW VOICE ON TWR FREQ SAID, 'CLR THE RWY, ACR Y ON SHORT FINAL.' I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE TAKING OFF. TO ABORT AT THIS POINT WOULD HAVE SURELY CREATED A CONFLICT. AT ABOUT 200' AGL I HEARD A VOICE SAYING THAT WE HAD A JET DIRECTLY OVER OUR ACFT, SO I INSTRUCTED F/O TO LEVEL OFF. I CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT. ACR Y RESPONDED THAT THE VOR APCH DID NOT GET HIM DOWN THROUGH A LOW CLOUD DECK AND THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AROUND FOR THE ILS. THE TWR THEN ASKED ME WHY I HAD DEPARTED W/O A CLRNC WHEN THE ARPT HAD A 400' BROKEN LAYER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.