Narrative:

15 mins before takeoff, I phoned philadelphia approach to get a takeoff clearance. They gave me the following: 'this clearance is valid for 10 minutes only. After takeoff, you are cleared to the dqo VOR and then follow planned route. Climb to 3000', squawk XXXX, expect 6000' and contact philadelphia approach on frequency 118.35.' I took off, cleaned the aircraft up and called philadelphia while climbing. I entered IMC at about 900' and established communication at 1200'. ATC immediately asked my flight status. I told him that I was IFR, climbing to 3000' IMC. At that moment I reached 1800'. ATC responded strongly, telling me that I was in the wrong and that I should have maintained VFR until I had established communication. This resulted in my descending until I had the ground visual. In my best judgement, I thought that the 10 minute slot and the clearance given was effective to climb IMC to 3000'. Furthermore, ATC should know that flying a single piloted aircraft in IMC, without any autoplt or copilot is difficult and requires a permanent scanning of instruments and that they should assist pilots instead of blaming them. In the air, we fly for real! Now, I would like to know if there was any wrongdoing from my side and if there is, I would like ATC T advise pilots over the phone to maintain VFR until they have communications!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT MAY HAVE VIOLATED PROVISIONS OF IFR CLRNC UPON DEP FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT.

Narrative: 15 MINS BEFORE TKOF, I PHONED PHILADELPHIA APCH TO GET A TKOF CLRNC. THEY GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING: 'THIS CLRNC IS VALID FOR 10 MINUTES ONLY. AFTER TKOF, YOU ARE CLRED TO THE DQO VOR AND THEN FOLLOW PLANNED ROUTE. CLIMB TO 3000', SQUAWK XXXX, EXPECT 6000' AND CONTACT PHILADELPHIA APCH ON FREQ 118.35.' I TOOK OFF, CLEANED THE ACFT UP AND CALLED PHILADELPHIA WHILE CLIMBING. I ENTERED IMC AT ABOUT 900' AND ESTABLISHED COM AT 1200'. ATC IMMEDIATELY ASKED MY FLT STATUS. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS IFR, CLIMBING TO 3000' IMC. AT THAT MOMENT I REACHED 1800'. ATC RESPONDED STRONGLY, TELLING ME THAT I WAS IN THE WRONG AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED VFR UNTIL I HAD ESTABLISHED COM. THIS RESULTED IN MY DESCENDING UNTIL I HAD THE GND VISUAL. IN MY BEST JUDGEMENT, I THOUGHT THAT THE 10 MINUTE SLOT AND THE CLRNC GIVEN WAS EFFECTIVE TO CLIMB IMC TO 3000'. FURTHERMORE, ATC SHOULD KNOW THAT FLYING A SINGLE PILOTED ACFT IN IMC, WITHOUT ANY AUTOPLT OR COPLT IS DIFFICULT AND REQUIRES A PERMANENT SCANNING OF INSTRUMENTS AND THAT THEY SHOULD ASSIST PLTS INSTEAD OF BLAMING THEM. IN THE AIR, WE FLY FOR REAL! NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY WRONGDOING FROM MY SIDE AND IF THERE IS, I WOULD LIKE ATC T ADVISE PLTS OVER THE PHONE TO MAINTAIN VFR UNTIL THEY HAVE COMS!

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.