GA small aircraft filed an IFR flight plan to depart rnv but the reporter was at 09M.

Attributes
ACN	96897
Time
Date	198810
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 09m
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 772 flight time type : 563
ASRS Report	96897
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying from jan to mem in encountered rapidly deteriorating conditions. Rather than file IFR while continuing VFR I landed at what turned out to be an unattended airport. It took 20-30 minutes for me to flag down a truck and get change to call FSS. While standing in the rain filing my flight plan I gave the wrong airport as my departure point. I filed from cleveland, ms when I was at charleston, ms (a VFR airport). Being unfamiliar with the area I did remember that it begun with a 'C'. By the time I departed conditions had improved, temporarily, to VFR. The error was brought to my attention by ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO DEPART RNV BUT THE REPORTER WAS AT 09M.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FROM JAN TO MEM IN ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS. RATHER THAN FILE IFR WHILE CONTINUING VFR I LANDED AT WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE AN UNATTENDED ARPT. IT TOOK 20-30 MINUTES FOR ME TO FLAG DOWN A TRUCK AND GET CHANGE TO CALL FSS. WHILE STANDING IN THE RAIN FILING MY FLT PLAN I GAVE THE WRONG ARPT AS MY DEP POINT. I FILED FROM CLEVELAND, MS WHEN I WAS AT CHARLESTON, MS (A VFR ARPT). BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA I DID REMEMBER THAT IT BEGUN WITH A 'C'. BY THE TIME I DEPARTED CONDITIONS HAD IMPROVED, TEMPORARILY, TO VFR. THE ERROR WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY ATC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.