Narrative:

We were en route to bkx from hon (sd) in IMC and I requested a through clearance to depart bkx for msp. En route the controllers were switched (center), and the new controller told us he was being briefed on our request when I asked him about it. As we descended into bkx, we started to lose contact with center, and our approach clearance was relayed through an air carrier flight. Previously the controller had told me to expect a through clearance, and I mistakenly thought that we had received it. The reason we requested the clearance was because the bkx VOR voice was out, therefore making it impossible to reach hon FSS on the ground in bkx, and I wanted to save the time it would take to call them on the phone. We departed bkx in IMC and contacted msp center shortly after takeoff. I talked to the supervisor at msp ARTCC after landing in msp, and he explained to me what had happened, but that there would be no action taken. The communications on this flight were rather confused. I could not hear center as clearly as the communications usually are, and I made a wrong assumption. I asked about the clearance twice, and as we were relaying communications through the other aircraft, things got busy. I wished that we had been given the clearance earlier--I felt that center should have made more of an effort to straighten things out earlier. Time was a factor on our side--our passenger have to make connecting flts in msp, and I believe it affected my judgement. I should have made sure we had a clearance, but assumed we did.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT DEP BKX IMC WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO BKX FROM HON (SD) IN IMC AND I REQUESTED A THROUGH CLRNC TO DEPART BKX FOR MSP. ENRTE THE CTLRS WERE SWITCHED (CENTER), AND THE NEW CTLR TOLD US HE WAS BEING BRIEFED ON OUR REQUEST WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT. AS WE DSNDED INTO BKX, WE STARTED TO LOSE CONTACT WITH CENTER, AND OUR APCH CLRNC WAS RELAYED THROUGH AN ACR FLT. PREVIOUSLY THE CTLR HAD TOLD ME TO EXPECT A THROUGH CLRNC, AND I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT WE HAD RECEIVED IT. THE REASON WE REQUESTED THE CLRNC WAS BECAUSE THE BKX VOR VOICE WAS OUT, THEREFORE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH HON FSS ON THE GND IN BKX, AND I WANTED TO SAVE THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO CALL THEM ON THE PHONE. WE DEPARTED BKX IN IMC AND CONTACTED MSP CENTER SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. I TALKED TO THE SUPVR AT MSP ARTCC AFTER LNDG IN MSP, AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED, BUT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION TAKEN. THE COMS ON THIS FLT WERE RATHER CONFUSED. I COULD NOT HEAR CENTER AS CLEARLY AS THE COMS USUALLY ARE, AND I MADE A WRONG ASSUMPTION. I ASKED ABOUT THE CLRNC TWICE, AND AS WE WERE RELAYING COMS THROUGH THE OTHER ACFT, THINGS GOT BUSY. I WISHED THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE CLRNC EARLIER--I FELT THAT CENTER SHOULD HAVE MADE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT EARLIER. TIME WAS A FACTOR ON OUR SIDE--OUR PAX HAVE TO MAKE CONNECTING FLTS IN MSP, AND I BELIEVE IT AFFECTED MY JUDGEMENT. I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE WE HAD A CLRNC, BUT ASSUMED WE DID.

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.