An small aircraft pilot accepted an arsa departure clearance when he expected a full IFR routing.

Attributes
ACN	251778
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa tower : rno
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	251778
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : clearance delivery
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I had filed an IFR flight plan from rno airport to ogden, ut. When calling for clearance, I advised 'nx IFR, ogden, ut, read to copy clearance.' I was instructed to depart runway 25, right downwind departure VFR, then proceed on course. I thought this a rather odd IFR clearance, but accepted this as normal procedure. I departed in a normal fashion, WX was clear. When I was established on the first leg, ATC advised me leaving their airspace 'squawk 1200, frequency change approved.' I was rather surprised to hear the official buzz word for leaving an arsa. I had filed IFR and assumed all along that this flight was operating under IFR rules. I told the controller I was IFR and was then lectured about the clearance. Technically, ATC was correct, but I was the victim of a miscom and felt like a con artist victim. The controller made a comment that 'this has happened before.' it is very clear to me why this has happened before. When a pilot files IFR, he expects to get such a clearance. The clearance out of an arsa VFR is quite similar, and one can easily assume incorrectly that this was the IFR clearance anticipated. The solution is simple: ATC should not be permitted to issue a VFR clearance to pilots that have filed IFR unless by pilot request.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT ACCEPTED AN ARSA DEP CLRNC WHEN HE EXPECTED A FULL IFR ROUTING.

Narrative: I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM RNO ARPT TO OGDEN, UT. WHEN CALLING FOR CLRNC, I ADVISED 'NX IFR, OGDEN, UT, READ TO COPY CLRNC.' I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DEPART RWY 25, R DOWNWIND DEP VFR, THEN PROCEED ON COURSE. I THOUGHT THIS A RATHER ODD IFR CLRNC, BUT ACCEPTED THIS AS NORMAL PROC. I DEPARTED IN A NORMAL FASHION, WX WAS CLR. WHEN I WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE FIRST LEG, ATC ADVISED ME LEAVING THEIR AIRSPACE 'SQUAWK 1200, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' I WAS RATHER SURPRISED TO HEAR THE OFFICIAL BUZZ WORD FOR LEAVING AN ARSA. I HAD FILED IFR AND ASSUMED ALL ALONG THAT THIS FLT WAS OPERATING UNDER IFR RULES. I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS IFR AND WAS THEN LECTURED ABOUT THE CLRNC. TECHNICALLY, ATC WAS CORRECT, BUT I WAS THE VICTIM OF A MISCOM AND FELT LIKE A CON ARTIST VICTIM. THE CTLR MADE A COMMENT THAT 'THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.' IT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. WHEN A PLT FILES IFR, HE EXPECTS TO GET SUCH A CLRNC. THE CLRNC OUT OF AN ARSA VFR IS QUITE SIMILAR, AND ONE CAN EASILY ASSUME INCORRECTLY THAT THIS WAS THE IFR CLRNC ANTICIPATED. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE: ATC SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO ISSUE A VFR CLRNC TO PLTS THAT HAVE FILED IFR UNLESS BY PLT REQUEST.

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.