Narrative:

The airport we departed from has an AWOS automated WX reporting system. The conditions at the time, as reported by AWOS, were 600 ft broken, 6-7 mi visibility. We listened to the AWOS, and decided to depart VFR. For some reason it didn't occur to us that the airport was currently IFR and we could not legally depart VFR. After departure, we contacted approach, and they queried us as to where we departed from. We told them, and they said 'that airport is IFR with 600 ft broken....' the controller gave us our squawk code and we continued on our way uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 DEPARTED VIS VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: THE ARPT WE DEPARTED FROM HAS AN AWOS AUTOMATED WX RPTING SYS. THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME, AS RPTED BY AWOS, WERE 600 FT BROKEN, 6-7 MI VISIBILITY. WE LISTENED TO THE AWOS, AND DECIDED TO DEPART VFR. FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO US THAT THE ARPT WAS CURRENTLY IFR AND WE COULD NOT LEGALLY DEPART VFR. AFTER DEP, WE CONTACTED APCH, AND THEY QUERIED US AS TO WHERE WE DEPARTED FROM. WE TOLD THEM, AND THEY SAID 'THAT ARPT IS IFR WITH 600 FT BROKEN....' THE CTLR GAVE US OUR SQUAWK CODE AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY UNEVENTFULLY.

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.