Apparent ATC confusion relating to whether an small aircraft was IFR or VFR.

Attributes
ACN	179931
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa tower : pie tracon : dsm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	179931
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

After a touch and go, pit tower issued an IFR departure and clearance to dab as filed. When I was given the clearance and copied it down, I changed to departure frequency. The approach controller's reply was 'standby.' at about 8 NM north of pie, the controller changed us to a new frequency. When I checked in on this frequency, this new controller did not know about my flight. Once he apparently figured out who we were the flight proceeded as normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APPARENT ATC CONFUSION RELATING TO WHETHER AN SMA WAS IFR OR VFR.

Narrative: AFTER A TOUCH AND GO, PIT TWR ISSUED AN IFR DEP AND CLRNC TO DAB AS FILED. WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE CLRNC AND COPIED IT DOWN, I CHANGED TO DEP FREQ. THE APCH CTLR'S REPLY WAS 'STANDBY.' AT ABOUT 8 NM N OF PIE, THE CTLR CHANGED US TO A NEW FREQ. WHEN I CHKED IN ON THIS FREQ, THIS NEW CTLR DID NOT KNOW ABOUT MY FLT. ONCE HE APPARENTLY FIGURED OUT WHO WE WERE THE FLT PROCEEDED AS NORMAL.

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.