Airport was closed by NOTAM and pilot assumed it was for liability reasons and took off anyway.

Attributes
ACN	298123
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : z41
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	298123
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lake hood strip was notamed closed, however I took off per tower knowing. All they could say is the lake hood strip is notamed closed. They couldn't officially clear me for takeoff. I assume this is for liability reasons. Once airborne they had me make a right downwind departure and contact departure control. (No further action), ie, I think I did everything right. But just in case this report was filled out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT WAS CLOSED BY NOTAM AND PLT ASSUMED IT WAS FOR LIABILITY REASONS AND TOOK OFF ANYWAY.

Narrative: LAKE HOOD STRIP WAS NOTAMED CLOSED, HOWEVER I TOOK OFF PER TWR KNOWING. ALL THEY COULD SAY IS THE LAKE HOOD STRIP IS NOTAMED CLOSED. THEY COULDN'T OFFICIALLY CLR ME FOR TKOF. I ASSUME THIS IS FOR LIABILITY REASONS. ONCE AIRBORNE THEY HAD ME MAKE A R DOWNWIND DEP AND CONTACT DEP CTL. (NO FURTHER ACTION), IE, I THINK I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. BUT JUST IN CASE THIS RPT WAS FILLED OUT.

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.