Narrative:

The conditions were VFR with haze and visibility of about 5 mi. I had filed for a return IFR flight from saratoga springs, ny, (5b2) to lawrence, ma, (lwm) our home base. Since saratoga was an uncontrolled field I called flight service and got a clearance and void time ith a last time to contact after off of xx:55Z. 2 events delayed our departure: first, the small aircraft become flooded and required additional time to start, and when we got to run-up area of runway 23 there were 4 additional aircraft in sequence ahead of us. Recognizing that our void time would expire, I attempted to call the FBO on the unicom frequency, and requested he call FSS and get an extension of our time. The operator came back and said, 'oh, don't worry about that...just get your clearance in the air...' a procedure I knew incorrect, but being unfamiliar with albany approach procedure, and not wanting to taxi back, shut down and call myself, I trusted the operators advice and rolled on the runway at xx:58 zulu, knowing my time had expired. Contacting albany approach I was informed that I had committed an infraction, and was advised to call them on the land line upon reaching lawrence, 'to discuss proper departure procedure at saratoga...' this incident happened because of 2 reasons: first after wasting time getting the flooded engine started, I should have called FSS myself and got a new void time; and secondly I depended upon the advise of a ground person that I knew was contrary to accepted FAA clearance procedures for an uncontrolled field departure. I called the approach controller at albany and discussed this situation. I found them helpful and courteous, and no report was filed on this incident. I learned from this experience that judgement of the pilot must be paramount and responsibility for clearance cannot be assigned...I also learned not to listen to FBO's on the future...

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT 'INVALID IF NOT OFF BY ' IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH HAZE AND VISIBILITY OF ABOUT 5 MI. I HAD FILED FOR A RETURN IFR FLT FROM SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, (5B2) TO LAWRENCE, MA, (LWM) OUR HOME BASE. SINCE SARATOGA WAS AN UNCTLED FIELD I CALLED FLT SVC AND GOT A CLRNC AND VOID TIME ITH A LAST TIME TO CONTACT AFTER OFF OF XX:55Z. 2 EVENTS DELAYED OUR DEP: FIRST, THE SMA BECOME FLOODED AND REQUIRED ADDITIONAL TIME TO START, AND WHEN WE GOT TO RUN-UP AREA OF RWY 23 THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL ACFT IN SEQUENCE AHEAD OF US. RECOGNIZING THAT OUR VOID TIME WOULD EXPIRE, I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE FBO ON THE UNICOM FREQ, AND REQUESTED HE CALL FSS AND GET AN EXTENSION OF OUR TIME. THE OPERATOR CAME BACK AND SAID, 'OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT...JUST GET YOUR CLRNC IN THE AIR...' A PROC I KNEW INCORRECT, BUT BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH ALBANY APCH PROC, AND NOT WANTING TO TAXI BACK, SHUT DOWN AND CALL MYSELF, I TRUSTED THE OPERATORS ADVICE AND ROLLED ON THE RWY AT XX:58 ZULU, KNOWING MY TIME HAD EXPIRED. CONTACTING ALBANY APCH I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD COMMITTED AN INFRACTION, AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THEM ON THE LAND LINE UPON REACHING LAWRENCE, 'TO DISCUSS PROPER DEP PROC AT SARATOGA...' THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF 2 REASONS: FIRST AFTER WASTING TIME GETTING THE FLOODED ENG STARTED, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS MYSELF AND GOT A NEW VOID TIME; AND SECONDLY I DEPENDED UPON THE ADVISE OF A GND PERSON THAT I KNEW WAS CONTRARY TO ACCEPTED FAA CLRNC PROCS FOR AN UNCTLED FIELD DEP. I CALLED THE APCH CTLR AT ALBANY AND DISCUSSED THIS SITUATION. I FOUND THEM HELPFUL AND COURTEOUS, AND NO RPT WAS FILED ON THIS INCIDENT. I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE THAT JUDGEMENT OF THE PLT MUST BE PARAMOUNT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLRNC CANNOT BE ASSIGNED...I ALSO LEARNED NOT TO LISTEN TO FBO'S ON THE FUTURE...

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.