Narrative:

During a skydiving event in lime, oh (aoh), I was supposed to take a load of skydivers up to FL200. A NOTAM had been filed and calls were made to indianapolis center, which is the controling agency, to make sure everything went smoothly. During the climb, I asked for an IFR clearance up to FL200. At first I was cleared to FL180, later only to 16,000' and finally put on hold at 13,000' because of traffic. The frequency was very congested at that day, and as I realized that, we could not make our requested altitude at that moment. So, I called the center again to cancel IFR and to continue VFR. As a response, I heard I was to continue VFR and that I could listen on the frequency for advisories. I acknowledged, considered it as a cancellation and decided to climb VFR to 17,500' and drop the skydivers from this altitude, fully assured I was VFR at that time. Climbing through 13,500', the controller came back and asked for my altitude. I said 13,500' and heard that I was still IFR. The controller asked if I wanted to cancel and I said 'I guess I would' as I cancelled already at 13,000'. The rest of the flight was uneventful. The only reason that day for this incident was the really poor radio communication quality. During the whole weekend, especially on saturday, the frequency was congested as I have never seen it in my career, and of extremely poor quality. Many xmissions were garbled. Later on in the weekend we had worked out a procedure which worked out fine and which I will recommend to other jump pilots, climb VFR to 17,500 and ask for an IFR clearance for the rest of the climb. Moreover, I recommend ATC gets standby frequencys and crews to relieve the already over-worked controllers on busy days.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POOR COM QUALITY AND SUBSTANTIAL RADIO TRAFFIC LEAD TO PLT CTLR MISUNDERSTANDING.

Narrative: DURING A SKYDIVING EVENT IN LIME, OH (AOH), I WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE A LOAD OF SKYDIVERS UP TO FL200. A NOTAM HAD BEEN FILED AND CALLS WERE MADE TO INDIANAPOLIS CENTER, WHICH IS THE CTLING AGENCY, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY. DURING THE CLIMB, I ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC UP TO FL200. AT FIRST I WAS CLRED TO FL180, LATER ONLY TO 16,000' AND FINALLY PUT ON HOLD AT 13,000' BECAUSE OF TFC. THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED AT THAT DAY, AND AS I REALIZED THAT, WE COULD NOT MAKE OUR REQUESTED ALT AT THAT MOMENT. SO, I CALLED THE CENTER AGAIN TO CANCEL IFR AND TO CONTINUE VFR. AS A RESPONSE, I HEARD I WAS TO CONTINUE VFR AND THAT I COULD LISTEN ON THE FREQ FOR ADVISORIES. I ACKNOWLEDGED, CONSIDERED IT AS A CANCELLATION AND DECIDED TO CLIMB VFR TO 17,500' AND DROP THE SKYDIVERS FROM THIS ALT, FULLY ASSURED I WAS VFR AT THAT TIME. CLIMBING THROUGH 13,500', THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED FOR MY ALT. I SAID 13,500' AND HEARD THAT I WAS STILL IFR. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WANTED TO CANCEL AND I SAID 'I GUESS I WOULD' AS I CANCELLED ALREADY AT 13,000'. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE ONLY REASON THAT DAY FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS THE REALLY POOR RADIO COM QUALITY. DURING THE WHOLE WEEKEND, ESPECIALLY ON SATURDAY, THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED AS I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT IN MY CAREER, AND OF EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY. MANY XMISSIONS WERE GARBLED. LATER ON IN THE WEEKEND WE HAD WORKED OUT A PROC WHICH WORKED OUT FINE AND WHICH I WILL RECOMMEND TO OTHER JUMP PLTS, CLIMB VFR TO 17,500 AND ASK FOR AN IFR CLRNC FOR THE REST OF THE CLB. MOREOVER, I RECOMMEND ATC GETS STANDBY FREQS AND CREWS TO RELIEVE THE ALREADY OVER-WORKED CTLRS ON BUSY DAYS.

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.