At 16:08 Key again requested and received take-off clearance. A cross wind was blowing from 210° at . Conditions were turbulent, with driving rain and a low cloud base of ; broken cloud was also reported at , and the official report says that the crew would have been without any visual reference at "crucial times" during the flight. At 16:08:30 BE 548 began its take-off run, which lasted 44 seconds, the aircraft leaving the ground at an indicated airspeed (IAS) of . The safe climb speed (V2) of was reached quickly, and the undercarriage was retracted. After 19 seconds in the air the autopilot was engaged at and ; the autopilot's airspeed lock was engaged even though the actual required initial climb speed was .