Narrative:

On 2/xx/90, while acting as PIC of small transport, I departed charleston, sc on an IFR flight to bermuda. About :45 mins into the flight, ZJX gave us a frequency change. I advised that we did not have HF capabilities. Center explained that we were in violation and that we could either return to the coast or cancel IFR and descend to 29,500' and continue VFR. About 5 mins before this point, the same controller issued at least 2 convective sigmets involving damaging winds and large hail all along the east coast. We had just left charleston and were lucky to get out of there when we did. With VFR conditions ahead and the known violent WX waiting if we turned back, I elected to continue to our destination VFR. I did maintain indirect VHF radio communication with center with the help of other aircraft relaying our position and altitude. About half way across, or approximately 1:18 out, ATC advised through another aircraft, that ZNY was questioning our altitude and indicating the flight was illegal. The message was not fully understood by the relaying aircraft or by us. We thought they were verifying our altitude. Not until we were in range of bermuda control did we understand that jacksonville and new york centers were trying to tell us of the VFR altitude problem in this airspace. Bermuda immediately provided us with an IFR clearance and a hard altitude for the balance of the flight. It is very clear to me that the entire problem was caused by very, very poor preflight planning by this pilot. After looking back, I am not sure it wouldn't have been better to turn back and deal with the adverse WX. Contributing factors: not allowing myself enough time to properly plan the trip. Relying too much on others to catch my mistakes on their flight plan questionnaire reference commercial flight planning handler and arinc. 1) commercial flight planning handler incorrectly listed the aircraft owner as the PIC. 2) commercial flight planning handler did not question my listing 'no' HF on board. I do realize my responsibility and will have to live with the consequences for the rest of my career. I hope this report will help other pilots and keep them from making this very costly mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT ON AN EXTENDED OVERWATER FLT IN THE PCA WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC EXCEPT THROUGH OTHER ACFT RELAY BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH HF RADIOS.

Narrative: ON 2/XX/90, WHILE ACTING AS PIC OF SMT, I DEPARTED CHARLESTON, SC ON AN IFR FLT TO BERMUDA. ABOUT :45 MINS INTO THE FLT, ZJX GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. I ADVISED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE HF CAPABILITIES. CENTER EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE IN VIOLATION AND THAT WE COULD EITHER RETURN TO THE COAST OR CANCEL IFR AND DSND TO 29,500' AND CONTINUE VFR. ABOUT 5 MINS BEFORE THIS POINT, THE SAME CTLR ISSUED AT LEAST 2 CONVECTIVE SIGMETS INVOLVING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ALL ALONG THE E COAST. WE HAD JUST LEFT CHARLESTON AND WERE LUCKY TO GET OUT OF THERE WHEN WE DID. WITH VFR CONDITIONS AHEAD AND THE KNOWN VIOLENT WX WAITING IF WE TURNED BACK, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO OUR DEST VFR. I DID MAINTAIN INDIRECT VHF RADIO COM WITH CENTER WITH THE HELP OF OTHER ACFT RELAYING OUR POSITION AND ALT. ABOUT HALF WAY ACROSS, OR APPROX 1:18 OUT, ATC ADVISED THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT, THAT ZNY WAS QUESTIONING OUR ALT AND INDICATING THE FLT WAS ILLEGAL. THE MESSAGE WAS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD BY THE RELAYING ACFT OR BY US. WE THOUGHT THEY WERE VERIFYING OUR ALT. NOT UNTIL WE WERE IN RANGE OF BERMUDA CTL DID WE UNDERSTAND THAT JACKSONVILLE AND NEW YORK CENTERS WERE TRYING TO TELL US OF THE VFR ALT PROBLEM IN THIS AIRSPACE. BERMUDA IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED US WITH AN IFR CLRNC AND A HARD ALT FOR THE BALANCE OF THE FLT. IT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE ENTIRE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY VERY, VERY POOR PREFLT PLANNING BY THIS PLT. AFTER LOOKING BACK, I AM NOT SURE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER TO TURN BACK AND DEAL WITH THE ADVERSE WX. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NOT ALLOWING MYSELF ENOUGH TIME TO PROPERLY PLAN THE TRIP. RELYING TOO MUCH ON OTHERS TO CATCH MY MISTAKES ON THEIR FLT PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE REFERENCE COMMERCIAL FLT PLANNING HANDLER AND ARINC. 1) COMMERCIAL FLT PLANNING HANDLER INCORRECTLY LISTED THE ACFT OWNER AS THE PIC. 2) COMMERCIAL FLT PLANNING HANDLER DID NOT QUESTION MY LISTING 'NO' HF ON BOARD. I DO REALIZE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER. I HOPE THIS REPORT WILL HELP OTHER PLTS AND KEEP THEM FROM MAKING THIS VERY COSTLY MISTAKE.

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