Narrative:

On sep/xx/96, aircraft departed ddc airport while the field had gone IFR. I did not realize the field was a class east airport. I was under the impression the airport was class G. At that time I felt I could depart the area VFR and pick up my clearance in the air. Once I was airborne I reached ZKC and they gave me a squawk code and asked if I could maintain my own obstacle clearance up to 5000 ft. I said I could and climbed to that altitude and received my clearance. It was not until I heard the seneca ask center if I had a special VFR that it occurred to me that the airspace could be class east resulting in a controled area to the surface. Unfortunately, it wasn't until that night when I was already on the ground did I notice on the approach plate that there was a frequency for wichita radio. Also, I did ask the bonanza ahead of me on the ground at ddc if there was a frequency to contact center on. He never did respond to me so that also led me to believe that I could pick up my IFR in the air assuming everyone else was. I realize now the error I made and have learned from it. I now know to either get a void time, contact ffs over the phone or use the correct radio frequency. Supplemental information from acn 347621: in the future I will get a clearance on the ground through FSS. I will also determine the airspace classification for every airport and will not assume anything. It was my second day as sic with company and felt hesitant to speak to captain due to intimidation. I should have spoke up with any hesitations departing. I would not have departed if I had been PIC. I will not use my captain's information as the sole way of determining if flight is safe. I will be more outspoken in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER FLC DEPARTS A CLASS E ARPT VFR WHEN IT WAS IFR AND UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS A CLASS G ARPT WHEN IT WAS CLASS E WITH REQUIRED CLRNC FOR TKOF.

Narrative: ON SEP/XX/96, ACFT DEPARTED DDC ARPT WHILE THE FIELD HAD GONE IFR. I DID NOT REALIZE THE FIELD WAS A CLASS E ARPT. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE ARPT WAS CLASS G. AT THAT TIME I FELT I COULD DEPART THE AREA VFR AND PICK UP MY CLRNC IN THE AIR. ONCE I WAS AIRBORNE I REACHED ZKC AND THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED IF I COULD MAINTAIN MY OWN OBSTACLE CLRNC UP TO 5000 FT. I SAID I COULD AND CLBED TO THAT ALT AND RECEIVED MY CLRNC. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I HEARD THE SENECA ASK CTR IF I HAD A SPECIAL VFR THAT IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE AIRSPACE COULD BE CLASS E RESULTING IN A CTLED AREA TO THE SURFACE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T UNTIL THAT NIGHT WHEN I WAS ALREADY ON THE GND DID I NOTICE ON THE APCH PLATE THAT THERE WAS A FREQ FOR WICHITA RADIO. ALSO, I DID ASK THE BONANZA AHEAD OF ME ON THE GND AT DDC IF THERE WAS A FREQ TO CONTACT CTR ON. HE NEVER DID RESPOND TO ME SO THAT ALSO LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT I COULD PICK UP MY IFR IN THE AIR ASSUMING EVERYONE ELSE WAS. I REALIZE NOW THE ERROR I MADE AND HAVE LEARNED FROM IT. I NOW KNOW TO EITHER GET A VOID TIME, CONTACT FFS OVER THE PHONE OR USE THE CORRECT RADIO FREQ. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 347621: IN THE FUTURE I WILL GET A CLRNC ON THE GND THROUGH FSS. I WILL ALSO DETERMINE THE AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION FOR EVERY ARPT AND WILL NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. IT WAS MY SECOND DAY AS SIC WITH COMPANY AND FELT HESITANT TO SPEAK TO CAPT DUE TO INTIMIDATION. I SHOULD HAVE SPOKE UP WITH ANY HESITATIONS DEPARTING. I WOULD NOT HAVE DEPARTED IF I HAD BEEN PIC. I WILL NOT USE MY CAPT'S INFO AS THE SOLE WAY OF DETERMINING IF FLT IS SAFE. I WILL BE MORE OUTSPOKEN IN THE FUTURE.

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.