Small aircraft pilot with IFR clearance unable to contact ATC regarding void time. Departs VFR but s...

Attributes
ACN	148113
Time
Date	199006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o41
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	148113
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I received and accepted an IFR clearance from woodland, watts to torrance, ca. Clearance read, 'ATC clears identify to toa after departure and after entering controled airspace turn left to 320 degrees. Expect radar vectors sac, then as filed. Climb to 4000'. Expect 10000' in 10 mins. Squawk XXXX, departure frequency?? Cleared at XX15, void if not off by XX18. Time now XX06. If cannot comply, contact ATC by XX25...readback correct.' after start and taxi with ground delays it became evident we would not make our clearance window. Magnetic problem delayed departure until XX24. Attempted contact on ground by radio with no success. Initiated takeoff VFR with intent of getting new clearance in flight. Still unable to contact TRACON ATC due to altitude and other aircraft on frequency. Finally, established contact at XX26, 1 min after time requested. Controller: 'confirm you are VFR.' pilot: 'yes sir, we are VFR at this time.' controller: 'you have conflicted with other IFR traffic. I will have to file an incident report.' problem: still squawking IFR code assigned did not (unable to) contact ATC by time requested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT WITH IFR CLRNC UNABLE TO CONTACT ATC REGARDING VOID TIME. DEPARTS VFR BUT SQUAWKING IFR CODE ASSIGNED.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED AN IFR CLRNC FROM WOODLAND, WATTS TO TORRANCE, CA. CLRNC READ, 'ATC CLRS IDENT TO TOA AFTER DEP AND AFTER ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE TURN LEFT TO 320 DEGS. EXPECT RADAR VECTORS SAC, THEN AS FILED. CLB TO 4000'. EXPECT 10000' IN 10 MINS. SQUAWK XXXX, DEP FREQ?? CLRED AT XX15, VOID IF NOT OFF BY XX18. TIME NOW XX06. IF CANNOT COMPLY, CONTACT ATC BY XX25...READBACK CORRECT.' AFTER START AND TAXI WITH GND DELAYS IT BECAME EVIDENT WE WOULD NOT MAKE OUR CLRNC WINDOW. MAG PROB DELAYED DEP UNTIL XX24. ATTEMPTED CONTACT ON GND BY RADIO WITH NO SUCCESS. INITIATED TKOF VFR WITH INTENT OF GETTING NEW CLRNC IN FLT. STILL UNABLE TO CONTACT TRACON ATC DUE TO ALT AND OTHER ACFT ON FREQ. FINALLY, ESTABLISHED CONTACT AT XX26, 1 MIN AFTER TIME REQUESTED. CTLR: 'CONFIRM YOU ARE VFR.' PLT: 'YES SIR, WE ARE VFR AT THIS TIME.' CTLR: 'YOU HAVE CONFLICTED WITH OTHER IFR TFC. I WILL HAVE TO FILE AN INCIDENT RPT.' PROB: STILL SQUAWKING IFR CODE ASSIGNED DID NOT (UNABLE TO) CONTACT ATC BY TIME REQUESTED.

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

Small aircraft pilot with IFR clearance unable to contact ATC regarding void time. Departs VFR but squawking IFR code assigned.