Reporter filed an IFR flight plan and assumed he had an IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	247142
Time
Date	199307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fjs
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	247142
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Called flight plan en route and when I went back to center, told him I had filed IFR. He gave me altitude reading and I thought it strange that he did not read back the clearance to me, but I figured maybe it was because he was busy. So I told him I was at 10000 ft and went on. About 2 or 3 controllers later, one of them referred to me as a VFR aircraft. That's when I told him I was IFR and related the sequence. He kept me on the same squawk. Later, a controller asked me to call center when I landed. Upon reflection later, I realized that I should have clarified with that controller that I did have clearance. Wasn't in any danger though as it was, all VFR conditions. Will certainly clarify any such future incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND ASSUMED HE HAD AN IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: CALLED FLT PLAN ENRTE AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO CTR, TOLD HIM I HAD FILED IFR. HE GAVE ME ALT READING AND I THOUGHT IT STRANGE THAT HE DID NOT READ BACK THE CLRNC TO ME, BUT I FIGURED MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS BUSY. SO I TOLD HIM I WAS AT 10000 FT AND WENT ON. ABOUT 2 OR 3 CTLRS LATER, ONE OF THEM REFERRED TO ME AS A VFR ACFT. THAT'S WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS IFR AND RELATED THE SEQUENCE. HE KEPT ME ON THE SAME SQUAWK. LATER, A CTLR ASKED ME TO CALL CTR WHEN I LANDED. UPON REFLECTION LATER, I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED WITH THAT CTLR THAT I DID HAVE CLRNC. WASN'T IN ANY DANGER THOUGH AS IT WAS, ALL VFR CONDITIONS. WILL CERTAINLY CLARIFY ANY SUCH FUTURE INCIDENTS.

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.