Narrative:

I departed shd at about XA00 pm local time on an IFR flight plan in good VMC conditions. Prior to departure I spoke with ZDC on the ground who read me my clearance which was 'cleared as filed...etc.' as there is no tower at shd, center requested I switch back to unicom and call the center airborne which I did. It was then that center observed 'I see you are not flying the published IFR departure procedure.' he was right. Since this happens so infrequently for me,I had forgotten to look and since it was not included in my IFR clearance there was no chance of picking the error. Personally I believe this is one of the biggest holes in the entire IFR system. I know that the FAA defends it repeatedly but every yr several people takeoff in real IMC and fly into mountain sides because they are 'cleared as filed' and forgot to check for an IFR departure procedure. Since a departure in IMC can typically not be accomplished safely without flying this procedure, what would be so terrible if, when one exists, it were included as part of the IFR clearance like a SID? If not this, then at least on an advisory basis as in: 'caution - check IFR departure procedure before departing.' this would make it impossible to forget to check if there is a special departure procedure. Does the FAA really believe that people should die as punishment for forgetting to look up this information?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER RECEIVING AN IFR CLRNC, A PLT DEPARTED FROM A NON- TOWERED FIELD IN VMC AND FORGOT TO COMPLY WITH THE PUBLISHED IFR DEP PROC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SHD AT ABOUT XA00 PM LCL TIME ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN GOOD VMC CONDITIONS. PRIOR TO DEP I SPOKE WITH ZDC ON THE GND WHO READ ME MY CLRNC WHICH WAS 'CLRED AS FILED...ETC.' AS THERE IS NO TWR AT SHD, CTR REQUESTED I SWITCH BACK TO UNICOM AND CALL THE CTR AIRBORNE WHICH I DID. IT WAS THEN THAT CTR OBSERVED 'I SEE YOU ARE NOT FLYING THE PUBLISHED IFR DEP PROC.' HE WAS RIGHT. SINCE THIS HAPPENS SO INFREQUENTLY FOR ME,I HAD FORGOTTEN TO LOOK AND SINCE IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN MY IFR CLRNC THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF PICKING THE ERROR. PERSONALLY I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST HOLES IN THE ENTIRE IFR SYS. I KNOW THAT THE FAA DEFENDS IT REPEATEDLY BUT EVERY YR SEVERAL PEOPLE TKOF IN REAL IMC AND FLY INTO MOUNTAIN SIDES BECAUSE THEY ARE 'CLRED AS FILED' AND FORGOT TO CHK FOR AN IFR DEP PROC. SINCE A DEP IN IMC CAN TYPICALLY NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED SAFELY WITHOUT FLYING THIS PROC, WHAT WOULD BE SO TERRIBLE IF, WHEN ONE EXISTS, IT WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE IFR CLRNC LIKE A SID? IF NOT THIS, THEN AT LEAST ON AN ADVISORY BASIS AS IN: 'CAUTION - CHK IFR DEP PROC BEFORE DEPARTING.' THIS WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FORGET TO CHK IF THERE IS A SPECIAL DEP PROC. DOES THE FAA REALLY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD DIE AS PUNISHMENT FOR FORGETTING TO LOOK UP THIS INFO?

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.