Air taxi pilot enters IMC on climbout. No flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	156148
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : wmo
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fai
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1140
ASRS Report	156148
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Because of a hurried schedule and the pressure to fly my weekly quota, I launched into marginal VFR WX. As I started to taxi I had radio problems which distracted me and added to my poor judgement. Because I had passenger on board, I attempted to maintain my single engine VFR status. Because of rising terrain outside the air traffic area I was unable to maintain VFR and elected to enter IMC conditions rather than turn back because I was a considerable distance from the airport. Although FSS had not forecast icing I also encountered ice on climb out. I new I would enter VFR, but should not have compromised my passenger safety. From northwest on I will not let office and peer pressure lead me into launching into questionably marginal conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT ENTERS IMC ON CLIMBOUT. NO FLT PLAN.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF A HURRIED SCHEDULE AND THE PRESSURE TO FLY MY WKLY QUOTA, I LAUNCHED INTO MARGINAL VFR WX. AS I STARTED TO TAXI I HAD RADIO PROBS WHICH DISTRACTED ME AND ADDED TO MY POOR JUDGEMENT. BECAUSE I HAD PAX ON BOARD, I ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN MY SINGLE ENG VFR STATUS. BECAUSE OF RISING TERRAIN OUTSIDE THE ATA I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND ELECTED TO ENTER IMC CONDITIONS RATHER THAN TURN BACK BECAUSE I WAS A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT. ALTHOUGH FSS HAD NOT FORECAST ICING I ALSO ENCOUNTERED ICE ON CLBOUT. I NEW I WOULD ENTER VFR, BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE COMPROMISED MY PAX SAFETY. FROM NW ON I WILL NOT LET OFFICE AND PEER PRESSURE LEAD ME INTO LAUNCHING INTO QUESTIONABLY MARGINAL CONDITIONS.

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.