Corp pilot departed without receiving clearance.

Attributes
ACN	110814
Time
Date	198905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : lga
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	110814
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed IFR flight plan with jst FSS on field: departure time zulu pm local; route of flight: direct agc, direct GO8; time en route: 20 mins; 5 hours fuel on board; I was pilot on board. Alternate airport listed: agc. I started up plane and called jst radio on 123.6. Told to taxi to runway 33. While on taxiway was told to change to unicom frequency 122.95 and complied. The FSS person told me that the navigation lights were not on, so I turned them on. I was not told to change frequencys so I stayed on the unicom frequency of 122.95. I then stopped at the end of the taxiway and proceeded to do a proper run-up. Everything checked out ok. I then called on the unicom frequency and announced I was ready to go. There was no response. After several mins, I figured (incorrectly) that I was to get my clearance from center once I was airborne. I got out the published standard instrument departure for runway 33 jst. I then announced on the unicom frequency that I was taking active runway 33 for departure. After a pause and looking for any traffic I then taxied onto runway 33 and lined up for takeoff. Again I paused for a last minute check of everything. Then I took off. As soon as I was airborne I called ZOB on 121.2 and asked for a clearance. I was asked why I didn't get it before I said I thought I was supposed to get it in the air, the way we do at rostraver airport, GO8 . I was then given a clearance and told to proceed.I complied. Center then called and asked what my heading was. I told them and they said I was off course and to check my dg with my compass. I did and found the dg was off approximately 20 degrees. I told center of the problem. They acknowledged. I tried to reset the slaving unit, but it started to drift. I notified center. They said they would give me non gyro vectors to agc, then GO8. I said fine. Center handed me off to pit approach, who further gave me non gyro vectors for the VOR a approach GO8. After several attempts I had field in sight. They approved frequency change and to call FSS to cancel IFR. After landing I complied.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP PLT DEPARTED WITHOUT RECEIVING CLRNC.

Narrative: FILED IFR FLT PLAN WITH JST FSS ON FIELD: DEP TIME ZULU PM LCL; ROUTE OF FLT: DIRECT AGC, DIRECT GO8; TIME ENRTE: 20 MINS; 5 HRS FUEL ON BOARD; I WAS PLT ON BOARD. ALTERNATE ARPT LISTED: AGC. I STARTED UP PLANE AND CALLED JST RADIO ON 123.6. TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 33. WHILE ON TXWY WAS TOLD TO CHANGE TO UNICOM FREQ 122.95 AND COMPLIED. THE FSS PERSON TOLD ME THAT THE NAV LIGHTS WERE NOT ON, SO I TURNED THEM ON. I WAS NOT TOLD TO CHANGE FREQS SO I STAYED ON THE UNICOM FREQ OF 122.95. I THEN STOPPED AT THE END OF THE TXWY AND PROCEEDED TO DO A PROPER RUN-UP. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT OK. I THEN CALLED ON THE UNICOM FREQ AND ANNOUNCED I WAS READY TO GO. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I FIGURED (INCORRECTLY) THAT I WAS TO GET MY CLRNC FROM CENTER ONCE I WAS AIRBORNE. I GOT OUT THE PUBLISHED STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEP FOR RWY 33 JST. I THEN ANNOUNCED ON THE UNICOM FREQ THAT I WAS TAKING ACTIVE RWY 33 FOR DEP. AFTER A PAUSE AND LOOKING FOR ANY TFC I THEN TAXIED ONTO RWY 33 AND LINED UP FOR TKOF. AGAIN I PAUSED FOR A LAST MINUTE CHK OF EVERYTHING. THEN I TOOK OFF. AS SOON AS I WAS AIRBORNE I CALLED ZOB ON 121.2 AND ASKED FOR A CLRNC. I WAS ASKED WHY I DIDN'T GET IT BEFORE I SAID I THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET IT IN THE AIR, THE WAY WE DO AT ROSTRAVER ARPT, GO8 . I WAS THEN GIVEN A CLRNC AND TOLD TO PROCEED.I COMPLIED. CENTER THEN CALLED AND ASKED WHAT MY HDG WAS. I TOLD THEM AND THEY SAID I WAS OFF COURSE AND TO CHK MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I DID AND FOUND THE DG WAS OFF APPROX 20 DEGS. I TOLD CENTER OF THE PROB. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. I TRIED TO RESET THE SLAVING UNIT, BUT IT STARTED TO DRIFT. I NOTIFIED CENTER. THEY SAID THEY WOULD GIVE ME NON GYRO VECTORS TO AGC, THEN GO8. I SAID FINE. CENTER HANDED ME OFF TO PIT APCH, WHO FURTHER GAVE ME NON GYRO VECTORS FOR THE VOR A APCH GO8. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS I HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. THEY APPROVED FREQ CHANGE AND TO CALL FSS TO CANCEL IFR. AFTER LNDG I COMPLIED.

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.