An air carrier PIC confesses to repeated night takeoffs from 39AK, ak, a day VFR only airport.

Attributes
ACN	430010
Time
Date	199902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aed.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	430010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : aed.airport

Narrative:

I occasionally (once or twice a month) fly a charter trip to red dog mine near kotzebue, ak. It is a yr round operation that always leaves anchorage at AB00 and returns about DF00. The problem is that takeoff at red dog, runway 2, is a day, VMC only operation. This limitation is only spelled out in one manual, the airport analysis. During the winter months, the scheduled departure time is after dark at red dog. It is a perfect set-up to violate the day, VMC departure on runway 2 if you happen to forget. Over the whole last winter I flew several of these unauthorized departures because I had forgotten about the limitation. In the interest of safety, I brought the situation to the attention of my chief pilot so we could file a disclosure to the FAA. He did so, and is reorienting the departure times so we will operate at red dog during daylight hours yr round.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PIC CONFESSES TO REPEATED NIGHT TKOFS FROM 39AK, AK, A DAY VFR ONLY ARPT.

Narrative: I OCCASIONALLY (ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH) FLY A CHARTER TRIP TO RED DOG MINE NEAR KOTZEBUE, AK. IT IS A YR ROUND OP THAT ALWAYS LEAVES ANCHORAGE AT AB00 AND RETURNS ABOUT DF00. THE PROB IS THAT TKOF AT RED DOG, RWY 2, IS A DAY, VMC ONLY OP. THIS LIMITATION IS ONLY SPELLED OUT IN ONE MANUAL, THE ARPT ANALYSIS. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THE SCHEDULED DEP TIME IS AFTER DARK AT RED DOG. IT IS A PERFECT SET-UP TO VIOLATE THE DAY, VMC DEP ON RWY 2 IF YOU HAPPEN TO FORGET. OVER THE WHOLE LAST WINTER I FLEW SEVERAL OF THESE UNAUTH DEPS BECAUSE I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE LIMITATION. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, I BROUGHT THE SIT TO THE ATTN OF MY CHIEF PLT SO WE COULD FILE A DISCLOSURE TO THE FAA. HE DID SO, AND IS REORIENTING THE DEP TIMES SO WE WILL OPERATE AT RED DOG DURING DAYLIGHT HRS YR ROUND.

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.