 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Pilot of a mooney M20 departed VFR from a non controled airport to pick up his previously filed IFR flight plan. Alb departure controller believed that he was already IMC without an IFR clearance since reporter stated no to the controller after asking if he was able to maintain obstruction clearance since he knew that he would soon be on top of an overcast.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 478049 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200007 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : alb.vortac |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : alb.tracon tower : smo.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 J (201) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure : vfr |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 765 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 478049 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I filed an IFR flight plan from 1b1 to ash. Since the field was reporting 2500 ft scattered, 10 SM, 3000 ft broken, I decided to depart VFR and open my IFR clearance. I departed the pattern at 1b1 heading east. Passing through 1800 ft MSL, I called alb approach to open my IFR flight plan. The controller said 'squawk XXXX' and then 'radar contact, are you able to maintain visual obstruction clearance at 3000 ft?' I was climbing VMC and would be VFR on top of the 3000 ft broken layer. So I responded 'no, I'm IMC' meaning that I wouldn't be able to see the ground. The controller responded 'I haven't issued a clearance yet, maintain VFR, suggest wbound heading for your climb.' I believed that I was already on the IFR clearance, which in my climbing turn to west I was issued an IFR clearance. I was figuring that I would be IMC and was in fact VMC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A MOONEY M20 DEPARTED VFR FROM A NON CTLED ARPT TO PICK UP HIS PREVIOUSLY FILED IFR FLT PLAN. ALB DEP CTLR BELIEVED THAT HE WAS ALREADY IMC WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC SINCE RPTR STATED NO TO THE CTLR AFTER ASKING IF HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN OBSTRUCTION CLRNC SINCE HE KNEW THAT HE WOULD SOON BE ON TOP OF AN OVCST.
Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM 1B1 TO ASH. SINCE THE FIELD WAS RPTING 2500 FT SCATTERED, 10 SM, 3000 FT BROKEN, I DECIDED TO DEPART VFR AND OPEN MY IFR CLRNC. I DEPARTED THE PATTERN AT 1B1 HDG E. PASSING THROUGH 1800 FT MSL, I CALLED ALB APCH TO OPEN MY IFR FLT PLAN. THE CTLR SAID 'SQUAWK XXXX' AND THEN 'RADAR CONTACT, ARE YOU ABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL OBSTRUCTION CLRNC AT 3000 FT?' I WAS CLBING VMC AND WOULD BE VFR ON TOP OF THE 3000 FT BROKEN LAYER. SO I RESPONDED 'NO, I'M IMC' MEANING THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE GND. THE CTLR RESPONDED 'I HAVEN'T ISSUED A CLRNC YET, MAINTAIN VFR, SUGGEST WBOUND HDG FOR YOUR CLB.' I BELIEVED THAT I WAS ALREADY ON THE IFR CLRNC, WHICH IN MY CLBING TURN TO W I WAS ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC. I WAS FIGURING THAT I WOULD BE IMC AND WAS IN FACT VMC.
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.