Pilot on IFR plan unable to contact center after VFR departure from M39. WX was marginal.

Attributes
ACN	140490
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : m39
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	140490
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I departed from mena, ar after filing an IFR flight plan. I was instructed by the FSS briefer to contact ZME on 126.1 when airborne. I took off VFR, expecting to be able to immediately contact center, but after repeated attempts got no reply! During this time I continued to climb, since mena, ar has rapidly rising terrain around it. It was difficult to remain in VMC conditions due to marginal conditions. Finally, I consulted the mena intermountain regional approach plate for a different frequency for ZME and was finally able to contact center to proceed with IFR flight. (Briefers must give good frequencys; center must answer right away; I could have tried to stay low in and out of clouds and easily flown into a hill!. My lesson is, I will obtain an IFR clearance by phone before departing into marginal VFR conditions.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON IFR PLAN UNABLE TO CONTACT CENTER AFTER VFR DEP FROM M39. WX WAS MARGINAL.

Narrative: I DEPARTED FROM MENA, AR AFTER FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE FSS BRIEFER TO CONTACT ZME ON 126.1 WHEN AIRBORNE. I TOOK OFF VFR, EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY CONTACT CENTER, BUT AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS GOT NO REPLY! DURING THIS TIME I CONTINUED TO CLB, SINCE MENA, AR HAS RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN AROUND IT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMAIN IN VMC CONDITIONS DUE TO MARGINAL CONDITIONS. FINALLY, I CONSULTED THE MENA INTERMOUNTAIN REGIONAL APCH PLATE FOR A DIFFERENT FREQ FOR ZME AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO CONTACT CENTER TO PROCEED WITH IFR FLT. (BRIEFERS MUST GIVE GOOD FREQS; CENTER MUST ANSWER RIGHT AWAY; I COULD HAVE TRIED TO STAY LOW IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS AND EASILY FLOWN INTO A HILL!. MY LESSON IS, I WILL OBTAIN AN IFR CLRNC BY PHONE BEFORE DEPARTING INTO MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS.)

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.