Narrative:

I was on an instrument training flight with a student on his required long cross country flight for the instrument rating. Our flight departed long beach 2 hours later than planned at sunset (student wasn't prepared). We arrived at our destination, smx. The tower was closed. Before we landed, we tried to pick up our clearance (IFR) through ZLA back to long beach. The center controller advised that we could pick up the clearance on the ground when we cancelled with him or hawthorne radio. On the ground we were able to cancel with ZLA and the controller told us to call back in 15 mins for clearance. We were unable to get our clearance on the ground with center. We could hear him, but he couldn't hear us. Another aircraft airborne was able to relay to the controller a clearance for us. This proved to be a difficult way to handle the situation. WX was VFR with a 1200 ft ceiling. I wasn't looking forward to circling over a strange airport at night with an instrument student. The controller gave us a 7 min window to get airborne. Our engine was shut down, preflight takeoff checks needed to be completed and taxi 4000 ft or more seemed like enough time if all went smoothly. We departed VFR a few mins after our departure clearance void time. At 600 ft MSL I contacted ZLA. ZLA responded small aircraft are you squawking wxyz? I rogered that. At this point, I thought our IFR clearance was still good and continued to climb into IMC at 1400 ft. A few mins later, the controller came back and notified me that my clearance void time was 8 mins ago and advised me when I would be ready to copy a telephone number. He sounded angry. I should have used better phraseology, and not assume about my clearance, i.e., 'VFR 600 ft is my clearance still in effect.' don't take short-cut that jeopardize safety, use proper communications. Don't be pressured in accepting an unreasonable clearance. Use proper IFR departure procedures. Know when to say no to a flight. The student and instructor were both not ready to deal with a night flight with the tower closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA FLEW INTO NIGHT INST CONDITIONS WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN INST TRAINING FLT WITH A STUDENT ON HIS REQUIRED LONG XCOUNTRY FLT FOR THE INST RATING. OUR FLT DEPARTED LONG BEACH 2 HRS LATER THAN PLANNED AT SUNSET (STUDENT WASN'T PREPARED). WE ARRIVED AT OUR DEST, SMX. THE TWR WAS CLOSED. BEFORE WE LANDED, WE TRIED TO PICK UP OUR CLRNC (IFR) THROUGH ZLA BACK TO LONG BEACH. THE CTR CTLR ADVISED THAT WE COULD PICK UP THE CLRNC ON THE GND WHEN WE CANCELLED WITH HIM OR HAWTHORNE RADIO. ON THE GND WE WERE ABLE TO CANCEL WITH ZLA AND THE CTLR TOLD US TO CALL BACK IN 15 MINS FOR CLRNC. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET OUR CLRNC ON THE GND WITH CTR. WE COULD HEAR HIM, BUT HE COULDN'T HEAR US. ANOTHER ACFT AIRBORNE WAS ABLE TO RELAY TO THE CTLR A CLRNC FOR US. THIS PROVED TO BE A DIFFICULT WAY TO HANDLE THE SIT. WX WAS VFR WITH A 1200 FT CEILING. I WASN'T LOOKING FORWARD TO CIRCLING OVER A STRANGE ARPT AT NIGHT WITH AN INST STUDENT. THE CTLR GAVE US A 7 MIN WINDOW TO GET AIRBORNE. OUR ENG WAS SHUT DOWN, PREFLT TKOF CHKS NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED AND TAXI 4000 FT OR MORE SEEMED LIKE ENOUGH TIME IF ALL WENT SMOOTHLY. WE DEPARTED VFR A FEW MINS AFTER OUR DEP CLRNC VOID TIME. AT 600 FT MSL I CONTACTED ZLA. ZLA RESPONDED SMA ARE YOU SQUAWKING WXYZ? I ROGERED THAT. AT THIS POINT, I THOUGHT OUR IFR CLRNC WAS STILL GOOD AND CONTINUED TO CLB INTO IMC AT 1400 FT. A FEW MINS LATER, THE CTLR CAME BACK AND NOTIFIED ME THAT MY CLRNC VOID TIME WAS 8 MINS AGO AND ADVISED ME WHEN I WOULD BE READY TO COPY A TELEPHONE NUMBER. HE SOUNDED ANGRY. I SHOULD HAVE USED BETTER PHRASEOLOGY, AND NOT ASSUME ABOUT MY CLRNC, I.E., 'VFR 600 FT IS MY CLRNC STILL IN EFFECT.' DON'T TAKE SHORT-CUT THAT JEOPARDIZE SAFETY, USE PROPER COMS. DON'T BE PRESSURED IN ACCEPTING AN UNREASONABLE CLRNC. USE PROPER IFR DEP PROCS. KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO TO A FLT. THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE BOTH NOT READY TO DEAL WITH A NIGHT FLT WITH THE TWR CLOSED.

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.