Reporter takes off without IFR clearance into IMC conditions contrary to ATC instructions.

Attributes
ACN	318933
Time
Date	199510
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cma
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cma
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	318933
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Situation: IFR to VFR on top departing cma in dark, FSS indicated IFR condition at departure airport, cma with tops 2500 ft cloud cover. Called clearance delivery received instruction on 120.75 (mugu). Instructed to contact mugu approach on 124.7 and squawk. Run-up completed. Instead of contacting mugu I for some unknown reason dialed CTAF frequency of 128.2 and broadcast in the blind. Squawk was correct. I had an eerie sensation something was amiss but could not put my mind to it. It was too quiet! Upon reaching 2500 ft MSL I called approach on 120.75 and declared 'VFR on top'. At that point I realized my error and was also instructed to dial mugu approach 124.7, which I did. Controller acknowledged my transmission and then informed me of clearance violation and impending notification of FAA. In retrospect I'm not sure why this happened as I frequently file IFR. I did miss the turn off to the run-up area to runway 26 and perhaps this diverted my attention. It was early am and dark, foggy, but apprehension was not a problem. I somehow locked onto the instructions, flew them just fine, but did it as if it were a VFR-tower closed situation. My answer to prevent this is to review my cockpit awareness, read and perceive my instructions, not just casually file them away as a routine flight. The instructions are always the same possibly lulling me into complacency rather than really listening!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR TAKES OFF WITHOUT IFR CLRNC INTO IMC CONDITIONS CONTRARY TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: SIT: IFR TO VFR ON TOP DEPARTING CMA IN DARK, FSS INDICATED IFR CONDITION AT DEP ARPT, CMA WITH TOPS 2500 FT CLOUD COVER. CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY RECEIVED INSTRUCTION ON 120.75 (MUGU). INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT MUGU APCH ON 124.7 AND SQUAWK. RUN-UP COMPLETED. INSTEAD OF CONTACTING MUGU I FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON DIALED CTAF FREQ OF 128.2 AND BROADCAST IN THE BLIND. SQUAWK WAS CORRECT. I HAD AN EERIE SENSATION SOMETHING WAS AMISS BUT COULD NOT PUT MY MIND TO IT. IT WAS TOO QUIET! UPON REACHING 2500 FT MSL I CALLED APCH ON 120.75 AND DECLARED 'VFR ON TOP'. AT THAT POINT I REALIZED MY ERROR AND WAS ALSO INSTRUCTED TO DIAL MUGU APCH 124.7, WHICH I DID. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED MY XMISSION AND THEN INFORMED ME OF CLRNC VIOLATION AND IMPENDING NOTIFICATION OF FAA. IN RETROSPECT I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS HAPPENED AS I FREQUENTLY FILE IFR. I DID MISS THE TURN OFF TO THE RUN-UP AREA TO RWY 26 AND PERHAPS THIS DIVERTED MY ATTN. IT WAS EARLY AM AND DARK, FOGGY, BUT APPREHENSION WAS NOT A PROB. I SOMEHOW LOCKED ONTO THE INSTRUCTIONS, FLEW THEM JUST FINE, BUT DID IT AS IF IT WERE A VFR-TWR CLOSED SIT. MY ANSWER TO PREVENT THIS IS TO REVIEW MY COCKPIT AWARENESS, READ AND PERCEIVE MY INSTRUCTIONS, NOT JUST CASUALLY FILE THEM AWAY AS A ROUTINE FLT. THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE ALWAYS THE SAME POSSIBLY LULLING ME INTO COMPLACENCY RATHER THAN REALLY LISTENING!

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.