Aircraft departed airport IFR without ATC release.

Attributes
ACN	124954
Time
Date	198910
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ral airport : l67
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	124954
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

PIC filed IFR flight plan with riverside FSS. PIC advised to call ont TRACON to receive clearance. PIC was issued clearance and advised twice by TRACON to 'just call us when airborne.' PIC was under the assumption that this was my release for departure. Upon departing rialto airport and calling ont approach control, PIC was asked 'who had released you for departure?' PIC advised that I had called TRACON and twice was advised to 'just call when airborne.' PIC believes that TRACON should be very careful and clear about issuing a void time for departure prior to advising to 'just call us when you're airborne.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEPARTED ARPT IFR WITHOUT ATC RELEASE.

Narrative: PIC FILED IFR FLT PLAN WITH RIVERSIDE FSS. PIC ADVISED TO CALL ONT TRACON TO RECEIVE CLRNC. PIC WAS ISSUED CLRNC AND ADVISED TWICE BY TRACON TO 'JUST CALL US WHEN AIRBORNE.' PIC WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THIS WAS MY RELEASE FOR DEP. UPON DEPARTING RIALTO ARPT AND CALLING ONT APCH CTL, PIC WAS ASKED 'WHO HAD RELEASED YOU FOR DEP?' PIC ADVISED THAT I HAD CALLED TRACON AND TWICE WAS ADVISED TO 'JUST CALL WHEN AIRBORNE.' PIC BELIEVES THAT TRACON SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL AND CLEAR ABOUT ISSUING A VOID TIME FOR DEP PRIOR TO ADVISING TO 'JUST CALL US WHEN YOU'RE AIRBORNE.'

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.