Narrative:

Pilot called for taxi clearance as soon as the ATCT became operational; stated he had received clearance from the center. I issued taxi instructions and verified he had received current ATIS; but had to ascertain which routing the center had given him; as there were two revisions to his clearance involving routing left in the printer bay. Pilot also needed clarification for the departure frequency; and this should have been my clue to reiterate the entire clearance. When I cleared the aircraft for takeoff; further confusion ensued as the pilot read back the incorrect turn and heading and had to be corrected. After I had switched the aircraft to departure; the aircraft then climbed through the initial altitude of 020; (which is given to all IFR aircraft at this facility per SOP) and climbed to 050; which had been issued to him by the center. This resulted because I had never verified with the pilot or with the center what he had been issued for initial altitude. First; be sure to verify entire clearance with aircraft that receive their clearances from other control facilities. Secondly; perhaps clearances that are issued from the center should be voided if the aircraft is to depart after the tower opens. This would ensure that the control facility that departs the aircraft would have been absolutely sure what the aircraft has received for an IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Local Controller described a confused routing event when a departure that received an IFR clearance from the Center; but departed after the Tower opened; made an unexpected turn.

Narrative: Pilot called for taxi clearance as soon as the ATCT became operational; stated he had received clearance from the Center. I issued taxi instructions and verified he had received current ATIS; but had to ascertain which routing the center had given him; as there were two revisions to his clearance involving routing left in the printer bay. Pilot also needed clarification for the departure frequency; and this should have been my clue to reiterate the entire clearance. When I cleared the aircraft for takeoff; further confusion ensued as the pilot read back the incorrect turn and heading and had to be corrected. After I had switched the aircraft to Departure; the aircraft then climbed through the initial altitude of 020; (which is given to all IFR aircraft at this facility per SOP) and climbed to 050; which had been issued to him by the Center. This resulted because I had never verified with the pilot or with the Center what he had been issued for initial altitude. First; be sure to verify entire clearance with aircraft that receive their clearances from other control facilities. Secondly; perhaps clearances that are issued from the Center should be voided if the aircraft is to depart after the Tower opens. This would ensure that the control facility that departs the aircraft would have been absolutely sure what the aircraft has received for an IFR clearance.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.