Narrative:

On apr/xx/93, a student who was working on his instrument rating. We planned an IFR cross country training flight from 3i3 to dnv. WX was reported at huf as being 700 scattered, 2100 overcast with 4 mi visibility. The student then called hulman tower to obtain a clearance void time. The information received was as follows: '...cleared to dnv via radar vectors, climb and maintain 3000 ft, enter controled airspace on a heading of 360 degrees, departure frequency is 125.45, squawk XXXX, hold for release at XA50Z and give us a call back.' there was a miscom between the student and I misunderstood the instructions for the hold for release. I understood that I could go after XA50Z. We took off in the small aircraft and contacted approach at XA53Z. At this time the student was working the radios and the controller said that we were supposed to call for a release and that we were not given a clearance. Then the controller asked if we were in the clouds and the student said 'yes.' this was a communication problem between the 2. As we were passing through the scattered layer that's when we were asked the question. We had not passed through or got into the overcast layer yet. The student replied yes we are in the clouds, would you like us to descend. The controller said 'no because he did not want us to crash into anything.' we would not have asked to descend if we were in IMC conditions. The student was thinking that we were in the clouds even though we were passing through the scattered layer and said that we were. That is where the misunderstanding was between the controller and the student. There has been a discussion between the supervisor and I to prevent the same situation from happening again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH ACTIVATION OF IFR FLT PLAN BY INSTRUCTOR PLT AND HIS STUDENT WHEN CLRNC INTERP IS ERRONEOUS.

Narrative: ON APR/XX/93, A STUDENT WHO WAS WORKING ON HIS INST RATING. WE PLANNED AN IFR XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT FROM 3I3 TO DNV. WX WAS RPTED AT HUF AS BEING 700 SCATTERED, 2100 OVCST WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. THE STUDENT THEN CALLED HULMAN TWR TO OBTAIN A CLRNC VOID TIME. THE INFO RECEIVED WAS AS FOLLOWS: '...CLRED TO DNV VIA RADAR VECTORS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT, ENTER CTLED AIRSPACE ON A HDG OF 360 DEGS, DEP FREQ IS 125.45, SQUAWK XXXX, HOLD FOR RELEASE AT XA50Z AND GIVE US A CALL BACK.' THERE WAS A MISCOM BTWN THE STUDENT AND I MISUNDERSTOOD THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE HOLD FOR RELEASE. I UNDERSTOOD THAT I COULD GO AFTER XA50Z. WE TOOK OFF IN THE SMA AND CONTACTED APCH AT XA53Z. AT THIS TIME THE STUDENT WAS WORKING THE RADIOS AND THE CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL FOR A RELEASE AND THAT WE WERE NOT GIVEN A CLRNC. THEN THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS AND THE STUDENT SAID 'YES.' THIS WAS A COM PROB BTWN THE 2. AS WE WERE PASSING THROUGH THE SCATTERED LAYER THAT'S WHEN WE WERE ASKED THE QUESTION. WE HAD NOT PASSED THROUGH OR GOT INTO THE OVCST LAYER YET. THE STUDENT REPLIED YES WE ARE IN THE CLOUDS, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DSND. THE CTLR SAID 'NO BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT US TO CRASH INTO ANYTHING.' WE WOULD NOT HAVE ASKED TO DSND IF WE WERE IN IMC CONDITIONS. THE STUDENT WAS THINKING THAT WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE PASSING THROUGH THE SCATTERED LAYER AND SAID THAT WE WERE. THAT IS WHERE THE MISUNDERSTANDING WAS BTWN THE CTLR AND THE STUDENT. THERE HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION BTWN THE SUPVR AND I TO PREVENT THE SAME SIT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.