Narrative:

I was the pilot in command of an small aircraft planning to depart springfield, oh, (sgh) IFR to lansing, mi, (lan) destination. After engine start I called ground control (121.7) for IFR clearance. I did not hear any response after 3 or 4 attempts. Thinking that the tower might be closed for the holidays, I called 'in the clear' on tower frequency (CTAF 120.7) my taxi intentions and taxied to the runup area for runway 24 and completed the checklist up to takeoff. At that time I made the judgement that the ceiling was such that I could takeoff and remain VMC until contacting dayton approach to obtain a clearance to proceed IFR. Thus I then called 'in the clear' on tower frequency my intentions for departure on runway 24. I proceeded onto the runway and took off. After airborne I attempted to call dayton approach without success. It was about 1 min after takeoff that I discovered that my volume control was turned all the way down and after adjusting it was able to receive dayton immediately. While trying to make contact I found the ceiling to be lower than expected and entered IMC before receiving clearance. Dayton told me sgh tower was upset and to contact them by telephone when reaching destination. In retrospect I found myself pressing too hard to get to destination and wishing the ceiling was high enough when in fact it was not. I will never forget to adjust the volume knob again. My observation pwrs must be slipping because evidently I missed several light signals as I taxied and took off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT UNABLE CONTACT TWR, TAXIES, TKOF THEN CONTACT APCH. ENTERS IMC.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT IN COMMAND OF AN SMA PLANNING TO DEPART SPRINGFIELD, OH, (SGH) IFR TO LANSING, MI, (LAN) DEST. AFTER ENG START I CALLED GND CTL (121.7) FOR IFR CLRNC. I DID NOT HEAR ANY RESPONSE AFTER 3 OR 4 ATTEMPTS. THINKING THAT THE TWR MIGHT BE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS, I CALLED 'IN THE CLR' ON TWR FREQ (CTAF 120.7) MY TAXI INTENTIONS AND TAXIED TO THE RUNUP AREA FOR RWY 24 AND COMPLETED THE CHKLIST UP TO TKOF. AT THAT TIME I MADE THE JUDGEMENT THAT THE CEILING WAS SUCH THAT I COULD TKOF AND REMAIN VMC UNTIL CONTACTING DAYTON APCH TO OBTAIN A CLRNC TO PROCEED IFR. THUS I THEN CALLED 'IN THE CLR' ON TWR FREQ MY INTENTIONS FOR DEP ON RWY 24. I PROCEEDED ONTO THE RWY AND TOOK OFF. AFTER AIRBORNE I ATTEMPTED TO CALL DAYTON APCH WITHOUT SUCCESS. IT WAS ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER TKOF THAT I DISCOVERED THAT MY VOLUME CTL WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND AFTER ADJUSTING IT WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE DAYTON IMMEDIATELY. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE CONTACT I FOUND THE CEILING TO BE LOWER THAN EXPECTED AND ENTERED IMC BEFORE RECEIVING CLRNC. DAYTON TOLD ME SGH TWR WAS UPSET AND TO CONTACT THEM BY TELEPHONE WHEN REACHING DEST. IN RETROSPECT I FOUND MYSELF PRESSING TOO HARD TO GET TO DEST AND WISHING THE CEILING WAS HIGH ENOUGH WHEN IN FACT IT WAS NOT. I WILL NEVER FORGET TO ADJUST THE VOLUME KNOB AGAIN. MY OBSERVATION PWRS MUST BE SLIPPING BECAUSE EVIDENTLY I MISSED SEVERAL LIGHT SIGNALS AS I TAXIED AND TOOK OFF.

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.