An small transport pilot takes off in IFR conditions at a non tower airport without a clearance for ...

Attributes
ACN	147162
Time
Date	199005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	147162
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Rain/IFR at airport during preflight. Cleared while loading passenger. Estimated 1000/3 for takeoff. Contacted ZMA on ground, no response. Tower not operating. Telephone clearance have short (5 min) expiration times. Normal procedure at fxc during early am departure is to takeoff, pick-up clearance in the air. As I started the takeoff roll, rain began to fall. Clearing the field, (over 1 1/2 mi from hangar) entered heavy rain, 400' ceiling. Called center, ask for clearance, was discovered by controller to be airborne, IMC, west/O a clearance, not good. Clearance was given, flight proceeded west/O incident. I elected to continue rather than to attempt to remain VFR. Summary. I misjudged WX at a time of extreme WX. First flight off fxc. I am ca, based. No way to get IFR release by radio. It is still my responsibility, however. I learned to exercise extreme caution and not assume WX would allow for a VFR departure with fast moving WX in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT PLT TAKES OFF IN IFR CONDITIONS AT A NON TWR ARPT WITHOUT A CLRNC FOR IFR.

Narrative: RAIN/IFR AT ARPT DURING PREFLT. CLRED WHILE LOADING PAX. ESTIMATED 1000/3 FOR TKOF. CONTACTED ZMA ON GND, NO RESPONSE. TWR NOT OPERATING. TELEPHONE CLRNC HAVE SHORT (5 MIN) EXPIRATION TIMES. NORMAL PROC AT FXC DURING EARLY AM DEP IS TO TKOF, PICK-UP CLRNC IN THE AIR. AS I STARTED THE TKOF ROLL, RAIN BEGAN TO FALL. CLRING THE FIELD, (OVER 1 1/2 MI FROM HANGAR) ENTERED HVY RAIN, 400' CEILING. CALLED CTR, ASK FOR CLRNC, WAS DISCOVERED BY CTLR TO BE AIRBORNE, IMC, W/O A CLRNC, NOT GOOD. CLRNC WAS GIVEN, FLT PROCEEDED W/O INCIDENT. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE RATHER THAN TO ATTEMPT TO REMAIN VFR. SUMMARY. I MISJUDGED WX AT A TIME OF EXTREME WX. FIRST FLT OFF FXC. I AM CA, BASED. NO WAY TO GET IFR RELEASE BY RADIO. IT IS STILL MY RESPONSIBILITY, HOWEVER. I LEARNED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AND NOT ASSUME WX WOULD ALLOW FOR A VFR DEP WITH FAST MOVING WX IN THE AREA.

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.

An small transport pilot takes off in IFR conditions at a non tower airport without a clearance for IFR.