BE20 king air flight crew climbs above FL180 to avoid WX without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	689819
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : dephe
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 20500
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	689819
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time type : 366
ASRS Report	689820
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Filed IFR flight plan via landline. Called back for IFR clearance. Was advised by FSS to depart VFR and call center when airborne for clearance. Departed runway 30 sad and at 3000 ft contact was established with ZAB. Request made for clearance to sdl. Center advised we were in active MOA; options were to return to sad or proceed VMC till clear the MOA. Given squawk code and we proceeded climb. Next; ATC; a request was made for IFR clearance. State any moment would be given direct dephe intersection. Continued climb to FL205 due to WX (thunderstorms). Next ATC advised mirandize and cleared IFR to tfd at FL200. Given phone number to call ATC. Thought we were under ATC control; VMC; squawking code; and avoiding thunderstorms. IFR clearance was forthcoming in seconds; not mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE20 KING AIR FLT CREW CLBS ABOVE FL180 TO AVOID WX WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: FILED IFR FLT PLAN VIA LANDLINE. CALLED BACK FOR IFR CLRNC. WAS ADVISED BY FSS TO DEPART VFR AND CALL CTR WHEN AIRBORNE FOR CLRNC. DEPARTED RWY 30 SAD AND AT 3000 FT CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH ZAB. REQUEST MADE FOR CLRNC TO SDL. CTR ADVISED WE WERE IN ACTIVE MOA; OPTIONS WERE TO RETURN TO SAD OR PROCEED VMC TILL CLR THE MOA. GIVEN SQUAWK CODE AND WE PROCEEDED CLB. NEXT; ATC; A REQUEST WAS MADE FOR IFR CLRNC. STATE ANY MOMENT WOULD BE GIVEN DIRECT DEPHE INTXN. CONTINUED CLB TO FL205 DUE TO WX (TSTMS). NEXT ATC ADVISED MIRANDIZE AND CLRED IFR TO TFD AT FL200. GIVEN PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ATC. THOUGHT WE WERE UNDER ATC CTL; VMC; SQUAWKING CODE; AND AVOIDING TSTMS. IFR CLRNC WAS FORTHCOMING IN SECONDS; NOT MINS.

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.