Narrative:

Decided to cancel IFR and depart teb VFR. We planned very very well for our departure from underneath new york TCA in order to avoid airspace and traffic. We would depart runway 19, turn left, travel at 1300 ft to a point 3450 at 15 NM from teb, then climb to 8500 en route to elm. We called tower several times for VFR departure, but they were extremely busy and never answered. Finally, they let a jet behind us depart VFR, left turn. I reminded tower we were ready first. They gave us immediate takeoff. We requested left turn. They said 'we'll call your turn'. Immediately upon takeoff they said 'fly due west'. We turned to 270 degree climbed to 1300 ft. They then said to fly to 5 NM from teb before turning 'nwbound'. They said 'fly due west to 4.5 NM from teb before turning nwbound, frequency change approved'. Totally unexpected and contrary to our planning. We didn't turn northwest because that would have brought us through the busy teb arrival corridor. We frantically tried to establish radio contact. With new york departure. Charts flying every which way to see where our airspace was. Visibility was hazy. By the time I oriented visually to terrain we were, in my estimation, 4 mi east of caldwell, nj, airport. Tried to visually circumnav caldwell and morristown. When new york approach picked us up on radar we were told '...4 mi southeast of morristown.' air traffic area is 5 SM, radar ring same nautically, but 4 NM is still less than 5 SM. I.e., we were in both caldwell and mmu air traffic area's. After radar contact we were cleared into TCA (climb) and on course -- no problems.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DEPARTS VFR AND ENTERS ATA MMU AND CDW.

Narrative: DECIDED TO CANCEL IFR AND DEPART TEB VFR. WE PLANNED VERY VERY WELL FOR OUR DEP FROM UNDERNEATH NEW YORK TCA IN ORDER TO AVOID AIRSPACE AND TFC. WE WOULD DEPART RWY 19, TURN L, TRAVEL AT 1300 FT TO A POINT 3450 AT 15 NM FROM TEB, THEN CLB TO 8500 ENRTE TO ELM. WE CALLED TWR SEVERAL TIMES FOR VFR DEP, BUT THEY WERE EXTREMELY BUSY AND NEVER ANSWERED. FINALLY, THEY LET A JET BEHIND US DEPART VFR, L TURN. I REMINDED TWR WE WERE READY FIRST. THEY GAVE US IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE REQUESTED L TURN. THEY SAID 'WE'LL CALL YOUR TURN'. IMMEDIATELY UPON TKOF THEY SAID 'FLY DUE W'. WE TURNED TO 270 DEG CLBED TO 1300 FT. THEY THEN SAID TO FLY TO 5 NM FROM TEB BEFORE TURNING 'NWBOUND'. THEY SAID 'FLY DUE W TO 4.5 NM FROM TEB BEFORE TURNING NWBOUND, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED'. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED AND CONTRARY TO OUR PLANNING. WE DIDN'T TURN NW BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT US THROUGH THE BUSY TEB ARR CORRIDOR. WE FRANTICALLY TRIED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT. WITH NEW YORK DEP. CHARTS FLYING EVERY WHICH WAY TO SEE WHERE OUR AIRSPACE WAS. VISIBILITY WAS HAZY. BY THE TIME I ORIENTED VISUALLY TO TERRAIN WE WERE, IN MY ESTIMATION, 4 MI E OF CALDWELL, NJ, ARPT. TRIED TO VISUALLY CIRCUMNAV CALDWELL AND MORRISTOWN. WHEN NEW YORK APCH PICKED US UP ON RADAR WE WERE TOLD '...4 MI SE OF MORRISTOWN.' ATA IS 5 SM, RADAR RING SAME NAUTICALLY, BUT 4 NM IS STILL LESS THAN 5 SM. I.E., WE WERE IN BOTH CALDWELL AND MMU ATA'S. AFTER RADAR CONTACT WE WERE CLRED INTO TCA (CLB) AND ON COURSE -- NO PROBLEMS.

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.