A cpr small transport flew into a fog layer after takeoff at night.

Attributes
ACN	225024
Time
Date	199211
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nuw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 270
ASRS Report	225024
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was an IFR (VFR on top) flight from port angeles to hoquiam, wa. Port angeles was clear when I went to the airport. It took a little while (perhaps 45 min) to get underway. I had an alternator problem and decided to depart the field VFR and pick up my IFR clearance en route from whidbey after sorting out the problem. Once airborne from runway 8 the aircraft entered a thin layer (500 ft) of fog just east of the airport. I turned left (the da 1 departure) and called whidbey. They mentioned an inbound aircraft at 1100 ft (when I was at 1800 ft) inbound about 2 mi away on a 'special' into port angeles. I was quickly VFR and received my clearance to hqm. This was an unexpected entrance to IMC which was quite surprising since the field was quite clear (stars out, etc) but apparently, without my knowledge, it had been declared IMC because of the fog layer which had moved in. My departure intentions had been announced on unicom but at that time, there was no mention of other aircraft or IMC conditions. It would be quite helpful if unicom personnel would advise pilots of IMC conditions, particularly if they are not apparent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR SMT FLEW INTO A FOG LAYER AFTER TKOF AT NIGHT.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN IFR (VFR ON TOP) FLT FROM PORT ANGELES TO HOQUIAM, WA. PORT ANGELES WAS CLR WHEN I WENT TO THE ARPT. IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE (PERHAPS 45 MIN) TO GET UNDERWAY. I HAD AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO DEPART THE FIELD VFR AND PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC ENRTE FROM WHIDBEY AFTER SORTING OUT THE PROBLEM. ONCE AIRBORNE FROM RWY 8 THE ACFT ENTERED A THIN LAYER (500 FT) OF FOG JUST E OF THE ARPT. I TURNED L (THE DA 1 DEP) AND CALLED WHIDBEY. THEY MENTIONED AN INBOUND ACFT AT 1100 FT (WHEN I WAS AT 1800 FT) INBOUND ABOUT 2 MI AWAY ON A 'SPECIAL' INTO PORT ANGELES. I WAS QUICKLY VFR AND RECEIVED MY CLRNC TO HQM. THIS WAS AN UNEXPECTED ENTRANCE TO IMC WHICH WAS QUITE SURPRISING SINCE THE FIELD WAS QUITE CLR (STARS OUT, ETC) BUT APPARENTLY, WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, IT HAD BEEN DECLARED IMC BECAUSE OF THE FOG LAYER WHICH HAD MOVED IN. MY DEP INTENTIONS HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED ON UNICOM BUT AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF OTHER ACFT OR IMC CONDITIONS. IT WOULD BE QUITE HELPFUL IF UNICOM PERSONNEL WOULD ADVISE PLTS OF IMC CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE NOT APPARENT.

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.