An small aircraft pilot left tower frequency while still in an air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	245846
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crg
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	245846
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed VFR flight plan from craig field to destin, fl, but did not activate. Takeoff was under VFR conditions. Tower asked for direction of departure and if I would remain clear of arsa around jacksonville. I replied departure to the west and affirmative. Following takeoff while in a turn to the northwest and at approximately 800 ft I asked tower 'what is a good frequency for departure control?' they replied with the jax approach frequency and I read it back and informed them I was switching. I did not wait for a reply before switching and contacted jax approach who gave me vectors and altitudes out of the area. Once clear of approach control's area I activated my flight plan and continued to destin, uneventfully. I believe it was poor procedure to switch off tower to approach at my own volition and a violation while still in the air traffic area. The WX was excellent and traffic light but it is still not the way to do it. Most of my experience is military/air carrier and the freedom of action available to me in private flying can be a temptation to take some things less seriously than I normally do. Sometimes, for the same reason, I am less than certain of VFR procedures. In the future, when uncertain of VFR rules, procedures, and course rules my solution will be to file IFR and then cancel once clear of the area of doubt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT LEFT TWR FREQ WHILE STILL IN AN ATA.

Narrative: FILED VFR FLT PLAN FROM CRAIG FIELD TO DESTIN, FL, BUT DID NOT ACTIVATE. TKOF WAS UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. TWR ASKED FOR DIRECTION OF DEP AND IF I WOULD REMAIN CLR OF ARSA AROUND JACKSONVILLE. I REPLIED DEP TO THE W AND AFFIRMATIVE. FOLLOWING TKOF WHILE IN A TURN TO THE NW AND AT APPROX 800 FT I ASKED TWR 'WHAT IS A GOOD FREQ FOR DEP CTL?' THEY REPLIED WITH THE JAX APCH FREQ AND I READ IT BACK AND INFORMED THEM I WAS SWITCHING. I DID NOT WAIT FOR A REPLY BEFORE SWITCHING AND CONTACTED JAX APCH WHO GAVE ME VECTORS AND ALTS OUT OF THE AREA. ONCE CLR OF APCH CTL'S AREA I ACTIVATED MY FLT PLAN AND CONTINUED TO DESTIN, UNEVENTFULLY. I BELIEVE IT WAS POOR PROC TO SWITCH OFF TWR TO APCH AT MY OWN VOLITION AND A VIOLATION WHILE STILL IN THE ATA. THE WX WAS EXCELLENT AND TFC LIGHT BUT IT IS STILL NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE IS MIL/ACR AND THE FREEDOM OF ACTION AVAILABLE TO ME IN PRIVATE FLYING CAN BE A TEMPTATION TO TAKE SOME THINGS LESS SERIOUSLY THAN I NORMALLY DO. SOMETIMES, FOR THE SAME REASON, I AM LESS THAN CERTAIN OF VFR PROCS. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN UNCERTAIN OF VFR RULES, PROCS, AND COURSE RULES MY SOLUTION WILL BE TO FILE IFR AND THEN CANCEL ONCE CLR OF THE AREA OF DOUBT.

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.