Narrative:

This flight was a normal scheduled flight from gpz to msp. AWOS III WX reporting was 800, 10 mi, southeast wind at 6 KTS, received prior to starting engines. In our crew brief we had specified that we would receive IFR clearance from princeton FSS, as we cannot receive center on the ground. We taxied to runway 16 for departure. First officer called operations for last min changes and was told to 'standby.' we continued with the before takeoff checklist, then were interrupted by operations call with last min changes, then completed the checklist. Announced our departure on unicom, completed runway checklist and departed runway 16, established climb on runway heading to the gpz VOR 2 mi southeast of field. On the after takeoff checklist. I, the PNF, noted that we had forgotten to get our IFR clearance. We were just approaching the cloud layer at 800 AGL (2000 MSL). PF maintained 2000 ft -- clear of clouds and made turns to remain in the traffic pattern. PNF attempted to radio msp center, but at 2000 ft, was too low for radio communication, therefore had to relay through princeton FSS. FSS radioed back that we had a 10 min departure delay time. I requested a holding clearance over gpz VOR and higher altitude for communication. FSS radioed back with an IFR clearance to brd -- our first fix, and climb to 13000. We radioed ZMP out of 3000 ft and received 'radar contact' and our clearance on course to msp. Some factors for consideration: unable to call for clearance until ready to depart an uncontrolled airport. This is out of sequence for the norm, therefore must be recalled to attention on the before takeoff check -- though it is not on the checklist. Urgency to get the flight going on time -- tendency to rush through procedures and items may be forgotten. Interruption of checklist -- should always start at the beginning to insure items are completed. Although our flight instruments were set for departure, we may have caught the missing IFR transponder code had we repeated the checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TKOF WHEN ARPT MINIMUMS FOR TKOF IN PROX OF CLOUDS ARE NOT MET FOR VMC FLT. VFR IN IMC CONDITIONS. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF CTL ZONE.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS A NORMAL SCHEDULED FLT FROM GPZ TO MSP. AWOS III WX RPTING WAS 800, 10 MI, SE WIND AT 6 KTS, RECEIVED PRIOR TO STARTING ENGS. IN OUR CREW BRIEF WE HAD SPECIFIED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE IFR CLRNC FROM PRINCETON FSS, AS WE CANNOT RECEIVE CTR ON THE GND. WE TAXIED TO RWY 16 FOR DEP. FO CALLED OPS FOR LAST MIN CHANGES AND WAS TOLD TO 'STANDBY.' WE CONTINUED WITH THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, THEN WERE INTERRUPTED BY OPS CALL WITH LAST MIN CHANGES, THEN COMPLETED THE CHKLIST. ANNOUNCED OUR DEP ON UNICOM, COMPLETED RWY CHKLIST AND DEPARTED RWY 16, ESTABLISHED CLB ON RWY HDG TO THE GPZ VOR 2 MI SE OF FIELD. ON THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST. I, THE PNF, NOTED THAT WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO GET OUR IFR CLRNC. WE WERE JUST APCHING THE CLOUD LAYER AT 800 AGL (2000 MSL). PF MAINTAINED 2000 FT -- CLR OF CLOUDS AND MADE TURNS TO REMAIN IN THE TFC PATTERN. PNF ATTEMPTED TO RADIO MSP CTR, BUT AT 2000 FT, WAS TOO LOW FOR RADIO COM, THEREFORE HAD TO RELAY THROUGH PRINCETON FSS. FSS RADIOED BACK THAT WE HAD A 10 MIN DEP DELAY TIME. I REQUESTED A HOLDING CLRNC OVER GPZ VOR AND HIGHER ALT FOR COM. FSS RADIOED BACK WITH AN IFR CLRNC TO BRD -- OUR FIRST FIX, AND CLB TO 13000. WE RADIOED ZMP OUT OF 3000 FT AND RECEIVED 'RADAR CONTACT' AND OUR CLRNC ON COURSE TO MSP. SOME FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION: UNABLE TO CALL FOR CLRNC UNTIL READY TO DEPART AN UNCTLED ARPT. THIS IS OUT OF SEQUENCE FOR THE NORM, THEREFORE MUST BE RECALLED TO ATTN ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHK -- THOUGH IT IS NOT ON THE CHKLIST. URGENCY TO GET THE FLT GOING ON TIME -- TENDENCY TO RUSH THROUGH PROCS AND ITEMS MAY BE FORGOTTEN. INTERRUPTION OF CHKLIST -- SHOULD ALWAYS START AT THE BEGINNING TO INSURE ITEMS ARE COMPLETED. ALTHOUGH OUR FLT INSTS WERE SET FOR DEP, WE MAY HAVE CAUGHT THE MISSING IFR XPONDER CODE HAD WE REPEATED THE CHKLIST.

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.