Pilot of small aircraft fails to fly departure procedure on IMC departure from coe.

Attributes
ACN	675793
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : coe.airport
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2025 flight time type : 1680
ASRS Report	675793
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan in IMC from coeur D'alene airport; identification; to lewiston; identification. The controller read off my clearance; giving me the departing frequency; squawk code; the directive to climb to and maintain 7000 ft; and to expect radar vectors to lewiston. She did not mention a departure procedure. I erroneously assumed there was none when; in fact; there was. I took off on runway 5 and was almost immediately IMC. I stayed IMC and realized I was heading into higher terrain. I began asking the controller if she had me on radar. She replied that she did not; and when I asked her how long it would be; she wisely suspected something amiss and inquired if I was executing the published departure procedure. When I told her I was not and that I was on runway heading; she turned me from 50 degrees to a southwest heading; away from higher terrain. A short time later; I came up on radar and the flight was completed without incident. My error was in assuming there was no departure procedure when; in fact there was in my book of approach plates. I now realize that in the absence of instructions to the contrary; departure on an IFR clearance from an uncontrolled airport mandates such a procedure be followed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA FAILS TO FLY DEP PROC ON IMC DEP FROM COE.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC FROM COEUR D'ALENE ARPT; ID; TO LEWISTON; ID. THE CTLR READ OFF MY CLRNC; GIVING ME THE DEPARTING FREQ; SQUAWK CODE; THE DIRECTIVE TO CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT; AND TO EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO LEWISTON. SHE DID NOT MENTION A DEP PROC. I ERRONEOUSLY ASSUMED THERE WAS NONE WHEN; IN FACT; THERE WAS. I TOOK OFF ON RWY 5 AND WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IMC. I STAYED IMC AND REALIZED I WAS HEADING INTO HIGHER TERRAIN. I BEGAN ASKING THE CTLR IF SHE HAD ME ON RADAR. SHE REPLIED THAT SHE DID NOT; AND WHEN I ASKED HER HOW LONG IT WOULD BE; SHE WISELY SUSPECTED SOMETHING AMISS AND INQUIRED IF I WAS EXECUTING THE PUBLISHED DEP PROC. WHEN I TOLD HER I WAS NOT AND THAT I WAS ON RWY HDG; SHE TURNED ME FROM 50 DEGS TO A SW HDG; AWAY FROM HIGHER TERRAIN. A SHORT TIME LATER; I CAME UP ON RADAR AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY ERROR WAS IN ASSUMING THERE WAS NO DEP PROC WHEN; IN FACT THERE WAS IN MY BOOK OF APCH PLATES. I NOW REALIZE THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRARY; DEP ON AN IFR CLRNC FROM AN UNCTLED ARPT MANDATES SUCH A PROC BE FOLLOWED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.