Tandemrotor,
I fully understand what Shy is talking about as I have operated in a similar situation, however, irrespective of how relaxed the private rules are does one not have their own limits to work within?
What I am getting at is even if the rules say you can't do something like take off in poor weather from a private site that does not mean to say it's okay to do it.
As pilots we all have a duty of care for our crew and passengers, don't we?
Many of us have been in similar situations where we know what we are just about to do could be bending the rules or dodgy in some respect but we then look at the safety aspect from a self preservation point of view, throw in a few other factors and then make a calculated decision taking limitations of the aircraft and crew into account.
Forget the rules just for a minute but can we agree that it's safe and sensible should you be operating VFR to be in sight of the surface (at take off or landing) or if operating IFR then at least remain visual until you have min IF speed.
Before anyone shoots me down this is just a question that may have no bearing on this incident.
One more thing before I get my coat but are there many pilots out there who regularly practice taking off from private sites at night in poor vis weather? In the real aircraft and not the sim.