Flight departed IMC without an IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	110190
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : c32
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	110190
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 4/fri/89 at approximately xa I arrived at C32 on an IFR flight plan. Was unable to cancel the flight plan in the air. On the ground at the phone were 2 people, was unable to cancel there immediately, so I thought the airspace was still mine and took off, called chicago center, a missed approach. In the meanwhile the person on the phone had cancelled my flight plan, unbeknown to me. He was the pilot of an aircraft waiting to get an IFR clearance from green bay FSS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT DEPARTED IMC WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: ON 4/FRI/89 AT APPROX XA I ARRIVED AT C32 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WAS UNABLE TO CANCEL THE FLT PLAN IN THE AIR. ON THE GND AT THE PHONE WERE 2 PEOPLE, WAS UNABLE TO CANCEL THERE IMMEDIATELY, SO I THOUGHT THE AIRSPACE WAS STILL MINE AND TOOK OFF, CALLED CHICAGO CENTER, A MISSED APCH. IN THE MEANWHILE THE PERSON ON THE PHONE HAD CANCELLED MY FLT PLAN, UNBEKNOWN TO ME. HE WAS THE PLT OF AN ACFT WAITING TO GET AN IFR CLRNC FROM GREEN BAY FSS.

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.