Helicopter courier pilot departs into mvf with insufficient cloud clearance.

Attributes
ACN	307170
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lyh
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lyh tower : sat
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	307170
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off in marginal conditions and got to the top of a scattered layer. We never went in the clouds but we went between them going back and forth. I don't think we were a safe distance from the clouds which we should have been in class D airspace. We got on top at 2500 ft and was VFR from then on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI COURIER PLT DEPARTS INTO MVF WITH INSUFFICIENT CLOUD CLRNC.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS AND GOT TO THE TOP OF A SCATTERED LAYER. WE NEVER WENT IN THE CLOUDS BUT WE WENT BTWN THEM GOING BACK AND FORTH. I DON'T THINK WE WERE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE CLOUDS WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. WE GOT ON TOP AT 2500 FT AND WAS VFR FROM THEN ON.

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.