FAR -- DUSTER PLT TAKES OFF IN MARGINAL WX AND IS FORCED BY A FOG BANK TO MAKE A STEEP TURN WITH A LOAD OF PESTICIDE IN THE VICINITY OF NEARBY HOUSES.

Narrative

WITH THE CLOSEST AVIATION WX RPTING STATION NEARLY 30 MI DISTANT; WE ARE OFTEN FACED WITH MAKING JUDGEMENTS ABOUT THE WX ON OUR OWN. I AM AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR WITH 20 YRS EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH 8000 PLUS HRS. I HAVE OPERATED FROM THIS PARTICULAR AGRICULTURAL STRIP FOR THE PAST 12- 15 YRS; AND AS SUCH AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE LCL WX QUIRKS. ALL OF OUR AGRICULTURAL OPS ARE IN CLASS G AIRSPACE AND DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS WE FREQUENTLY OPERATE CLOSE TO BOTH THE CLOUD CLRNC AND VISIBILITY LIMITS (1 MI; CLR OF THE CLOUDS). THIS EARLY SEP/XX/95 MORNING WAS PARTICULARLY FOGGY; BUT AS IN THE PAST THE FOG HAD ALL BUT BURNED OFF BY XA30. THE HOME STRIP IS LOCATED BTWN A SMALL RIVER AND A SEWAGE EVAPORATION SETTLING POND OF ABOUT 200 ACRES. IT IS TRADITIONALLY THE 'FOGGIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD' GENERALLY BEING THE LAST PLACE TO CLR. THE VISIBILITY WAS AVERAGING APPROX 2 MI WITH NO CLOUDS VISIBLE. AS I CLRED THE TREES AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY; WITH A FULL LOAD OF PESTICIDE; I WAS MET WITH A SOLID WALL OF FOG WITH PRACTICALLY NO FORWARD VISIBILITY. A QUICK L TURN ENABLED ME TO MAINTAIN VISUAL GND CONTACT; THIS IS NO MEAN FEAT WITH A HEAVILY LOADED AGRICULTURAL PLANE THAT IS VERY MUCH BEHIND THE PWR CURVE. MY TURN TOOK ME CLOSER TO SEVERAL HOUSES IN THE TREES THAT I CARE TO BE; OR SHOULD BE; BUT ENABLED AN EVENTUAL CLB TO THE N IN ACCEPTABLE VFR CONDITIONS. A QUICK LOOK AROUND CONFIRMED THAT ALL WAS CLR TO THE N; BUT THE CLR AREA ENDED JUST S OF THE RWY. I OPERATE IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS ALL THE TIME OUT OF NECESSITY. EXTRA VIGILANCE IS CALLED FOR WHEN THE WX IS MARGINAL; BUT AS THE SAYING GOES 'FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT.' I THINK I'LL GIVE MYSELF A LITTLE MORE MARGIN IN THE FUTURE.