Narrative:

I was departing gnv on an instrument flight plan to pbi. Departure was about XA15Z on 1/tue/89. Flight plan was filed 'V157 ocf, V159 vrb, V3 pbi, direct.' the WX was clear, VFR. The clearance came through as 'direct ocala, maintain 2000', expect 5000' 10 mins, 134.4, 3217.' I assumed I'd get a further clearance later and assumed I'd be in contact with ATC (this was not correct, on my part, since there was no efc time given). We were cleared to depart, turned over to departure but could not make contact on 134.4 even though I could hear the controller talking to other aircraft. I tried a number of times to make contact. At this point I began to be concerned about what to do thereafter since the clearance was only to ocala and west/O being able to make contact with the controller. I switched to another radio thinking the first one might not be transmitting. Again I had negative contact. At this point I believed I was at or approaching the 10 min time for decision to climb to 5000', but was still wondering what to do about conforming to the flight plan. I did not have actual physical concern about a problem, however, since the WX was clear. In the process of calling the controller several times on 2 transmitters and trying to determine where to go with the limited clearance I decided to begin to climb to 5000' per the clearance. I was still able to hear the controller on the frequency with other aircraft. I called a number of times and asked if small aircraft was cleared to 5000' to try to let him know what I was doing per the clearance. Finally the controller responded for the 1ST time with, 'small aircraft cleared to 5000', say altitude.' I responded, '2300',' to which he responded, 'you were cleared to 2000', I show you at 2400',' as I had continued to climb to 5000' on his clearance direction. The problem I see was in accepting a clearance west/O some further clearance or efc or clearance beyond. The second problem in not having an exact time for the 10 min period to climb to 5000' and third, probably, not going back to the local tower frequency when I couldn't contact departure. And fourth, beginning a climb out of 2000' when I wasn't exactly sure of the exact 10 min lost radio contact time period. Since it was on a clear day in VFR conditions, no problems resulted other than how to handle the confusion as described above west/O jazzing up the controllers or my flight. While he was busy with a number of aircraft, it would have cleared the situation and avoided the concern and confusion on my part of the controller had at least replied with an, 'small aircraft standby,' so that at least I would have known I was in contact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION DUE TO LACK OF RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING GNV ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN TO PBI. DEP WAS ABOUT XA15Z ON 1/TUE/89. FLT PLAN WAS FILED 'V157 OCF, V159 VRB, V3 PBI, DIRECT.' THE WX WAS CLEAR, VFR. THE CLRNC CAME THROUGH AS 'DIRECT OCALA, MAINTAIN 2000', EXPECT 5000' 10 MINS, 134.4, 3217.' I ASSUMED I'D GET A FURTHER CLRNC LATER AND ASSUMED I'D BE IN CONTACT WITH ATC (THIS WAS NOT CORRECT, ON MY PART, SINCE THERE WAS NO EFC TIME GIVEN). WE WERE CLRED TO DEPART, TURNED OVER TO DEP BUT COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT ON 134.4 EVEN THOUGH I COULD HEAR THE CTLR TALKING TO OTHER ACFT. I TRIED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO MAKE CONTACT. AT THIS POINT I BEGAN TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT TO DO THEREAFTER SINCE THE CLRNC WAS ONLY TO OCALA AND W/O BEING ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE CTLR. I SWITCHED TO ANOTHER RADIO THINKING THE FIRST ONE MIGHT NOT BE XMITTING. AGAIN I HAD NEGATIVE CONTACT. AT THIS POINT I BELIEVED I WAS AT OR APCHING THE 10 MIN TIME FOR DECISION TO CLB TO 5000', BUT WAS STILL WONDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT CONFORMING TO THE FLT PLAN. I DID NOT HAVE ACTUAL PHYSICAL CONCERN ABOUT A PROB, HOWEVER, SINCE THE WX WAS CLEAR. IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING THE CTLR SEVERAL TIMES ON 2 XMITTERS AND TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE TO GO WITH THE LIMITED CLRNC I DECIDED TO BEGIN TO CLB TO 5000' PER THE CLRNC. I WAS STILL ABLE TO HEAR THE CTLR ON THE FREQ WITH OTHER ACFT. I CALLED A NUMBER OF TIMES AND ASKED IF SMA WAS CLRED TO 5000' TO TRY TO LET HIM KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING PER THE CLRNC. FINALLY THE CTLR RESPONDED FOR THE 1ST TIME WITH, 'SMA CLRED TO 5000', SAY ALT.' I RESPONDED, '2300',' TO WHICH HE RESPONDED, 'YOU WERE CLRED TO 2000', I SHOW YOU AT 2400',' AS I HAD CONTINUED TO CLB TO 5000' ON HIS CLRNC DIRECTION. THE PROB I SEE WAS IN ACCEPTING A CLRNC W/O SOME FURTHER CLRNC OR EFC OR CLRNC BEYOND. THE SECOND PROB IN NOT HAVING AN EXACT TIME FOR THE 10 MIN PERIOD TO CLB TO 5000' AND THIRD, PROBABLY, NOT GOING BACK TO THE LCL TWR FREQ WHEN I COULDN'T CONTACT DEP. AND FOURTH, BEGINNING A CLB OUT OF 2000' WHEN I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE OF THE EXACT 10 MIN LOST RADIO CONTACT TIME PERIOD. SINCE IT WAS ON A CLEAR DAY IN VFR CONDITIONS, NO PROBS RESULTED OTHER THAN HOW TO HANDLE THE CONFUSION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE W/O JAZZING UP THE CTLRS OR MY FLT. WHILE HE WAS BUSY WITH A NUMBER OF ACFT, IT WOULD HAVE CLRED THE SITUATION AND AVOIDED THE CONCERN AND CONFUSION ON MY PART OF THE CTLR HAD AT LEAST REPLIED WITH AN, 'SMA STANDBY,' SO THAT AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN I WAS IN CONTACT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.