VFR in IMC. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	303499
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : axi airport : mwk
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : gso
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	303499
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I thought the copilot had gotten a clearance. He had not. I elected to takeoff since it was a 2000 ft ceiling and contact center. We were not able to contact gso departure control and tried atl and did get radio contact. I ran out of VFR room and had to climb IMC to get clearance. We topped out at 7000 ft MSL for about 2000 ft IMC. It was a mistake I made and will never do again. I should not have trusted getting a clearance to anyone else. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the beechcraft king air 90 for a corporation. He departed mt airy, nc, without a clearance and attempted to contact gso departure control while still in VMC to no avail. He had to climb to be able to contact ZTL. He has not heard from the FAA on this matter. Communications with gso and ZTL are always bad at low altitudes in the vicinity of axi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: I THOUGHT THE COPLT HAD GOTTEN A CLRNC. HE HAD NOT. I ELECTED TO TKOF SINCE IT WAS A 2000 FT CEILING AND CONTACT CTR. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTACT GSO DEP CTL AND TRIED ATL AND DID GET RADIO CONTACT. I RAN OUT OF VFR ROOM AND HAD TO CLB IMC TO GET CLRNC. WE TOPPED OUT AT 7000 FT MSL FOR ABOUT 2000 FT IMC. IT WAS A MISTAKE I MADE AND WILL NEVER DO AGAIN. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TRUSTED GETTING A CLRNC TO ANYONE ELSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 90 FOR A CORPORATION. HE DEPARTED MT AIRY, NC, WITHOUT A CLRNC AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT GSO DEP CTL WHILE STILL IN VMC TO NO AVAIL. HE HAD TO CLB TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT ZTL. HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS MATTER. COMS WITH GSO AND ZTL ARE ALWAYS BAD AT LOW ALTS IN THE VICINITY OF AXI.

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.