Narrative:

I took off from warner springs ranch near san diego and flew into IMC after I thought I had received a clearance. After landing I got together with an instrument flight instructor and found out I had made an error, hence this report. I fly out of san diego gillespie (see) which is a controled field. When I have flown out of uncontrolled fields IFR I have always picked up my clearance in the air. This is what I planned to do on sun. I had called for WX and filed IFR. I asked if I should open on 124.35 and was told that would be ok. I climbed to 4000 ft and could not get san approach. The base of the clouds were around 4500 so I found a hole and went up. I got in contact with san approach and gave my position. I was told to call ZLA on 127.4. Center gave me a squawk and WX at see and I was told to expect the localizer approach. I said I had a flight plan on file. After a moment I was given another squawk and told to identify. Here is where I made my mistake. Nothing was said about remaining VFR and I felt I was in the system. I have a LORAN, so I started heading for baret, the initial approach fix for see. I was handed off to 132.2 and then to 124.35. I remember reporting that I was IMC to the controller on one of his calls, and was told that I had been told to remain VFR. We had not been told to remain VFR so I reported so. He told me to remain on the same course and expect to intercept the localizer. He then vectored me to the approach and we came in and landed. I have since talked to 2 cfii's and the supervisor at san FSS. I now know about getting a void time clearance by phone. I have also read the article which was in my flight bag in IFR magazine this month titled 'IFR out of podunk.' I won't make that mistake again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS NON TWR ARPT AND TRIES TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC. MISCOM WITH APCH CTLR. BELIEVES HE IS IFR, ENTERS IMC.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM WARNER SPRINGS RANCH NEAR SAN DIEGO AND FLEW INTO IMC AFTER I THOUGHT I HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC. AFTER LNDG I GOT TOGETHER WITH AN INST FLT INSTRUCTOR AND FOUND OUT I HAD MADE AN ERROR, HENCE THIS RPT. I FLY OUT OF SAN DIEGO GILLESPIE (SEE) WHICH IS A CTLED FIELD. WHEN I HAVE FLOWN OUT OF UNCTLED FIELDS IFR I HAVE ALWAYS PICKED UP MY CLRNC IN THE AIR. THIS IS WHAT I PLANNED TO DO ON SUN. I HAD CALLED FOR WX AND FILED IFR. I ASKED IF I SHOULD OPEN ON 124.35 AND WAS TOLD THAT WOULD BE OK. I CLBED TO 4000 FT AND COULD NOT GET SAN APCH. THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS WERE AROUND 4500 SO I FOUND A HOLE AND WENT UP. I GOT IN CONTACT WITH SAN APCH AND GAVE MY POS. I WAS TOLD TO CALL ZLA ON 127.4. CTR GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND WX AT SEE AND I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT THE LOC APCH. I SAID I HAD A FLT PLAN ON FILE. AFTER A MOMENT I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER SQUAWK AND TOLD TO IDENT. HERE IS WHERE I MADE MY MISTAKE. NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT REMAINING VFR AND I FELT I WAS IN THE SYS. I HAVE A LORAN, SO I STARTED HDG FOR BARET, THE INITIAL APCH FIX FOR SEE. I WAS HANDED OFF TO 132.2 AND THEN TO 124.35. I REMEMBER RPTING THAT I WAS IMC TO THE CTLR ON ONE OF HIS CALLS, AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD BEEN TOLD TO REMAIN VFR. WE HAD NOT BEEN TOLD TO REMAIN VFR SO I RPTED SO. HE TOLD ME TO REMAIN ON THE SAME COURSE AND EXPECT TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. HE THEN VECTORED ME TO THE APCH AND WE CAME IN AND LANDED. I HAVE SINCE TALKED TO 2 CFII'S AND THE SUPVR AT SAN FSS. I NOW KNOW ABOUT GETTING A VOID TIME CLRNC BY PHONE. I HAVE ALSO READ THE ARTICLE WHICH WAS IN MY FLT BAG IN IFR MAGAZINE THIS MONTH TITLED 'IFR OUT OF PODUNK.' I WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN.

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.