Narrative:

After departing middletown, oh (mwo), I contacted day departure and reported 'heading 280 degrees, climbing to 3000 ft.' 'aztec X you were not released,' says the controller on departure frequency 126.57. I informed him that I had clearance and had been released on 119.4 on ground at mwo and that I had acknowledged the release by reading back 'released, turn right to 280 degrees and up to 3000 ft.' controller then, 'cleared on course and up to 4000 ft.' I repeated clearance and as I was climbing out of 2000 ft (on very broken transmission) I heard him again state that I was not released. He requested that I try another radio. I tried twice -- no response and went back to original communication. I remember trying both communications on ground and #1 was reported broken, garbled and unreadable, so I was using #2. Climbing out of 2200 ft I decided to proceed VFR and attempted to cancel IFR. After several tries, I finally got confirmation from controller of 'cancellation received.' I could not hear his entire xmissions as they were broken and unreadable. I proceeded VFR toward destination. Later in flight, I discovered that (by unicom on ground in wisconsin): #1 communication -- xmissions were weak and broken receiver ok. #2 communication -- xmissions were 'better' (sometimes broken) receiver nil. Problems: poor/bad communications caused by radios in need of repair? Maybe damp with moisture? Maybe weak? Although I thought I had volume up to maximum. Action: I couldn't tell if I was transmitting, and some/most receptions were bad after departure. I did the only practical thing in VFR conditions -- cancel. If in IFR conditions, I would have returned to mwo, in VFR conditions. As far as release: I read clearance back, called ready at end of runway 23 (mwo). I read release back. I heard 'you are released, heading 280 degrees and 3000 ft.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER AZTEC CONTACTING DEP CTLR WAS ADVISED THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED AN IFR RELEASE. RPTR PLT SAYS HE DID, BUT THE ACFT RADIOS WERE VERY POOR, SO HE CANCELED IFR.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING MIDDLETOWN, OH (MWO), I CONTACTED DAY DEP AND RPTED 'HDG 280 DEGS, CLBING TO 3000 FT.' 'AZTEC X YOU WERE NOT RELEASED,' SAYS THE CTLR ON DEP FREQ 126.57. I INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD CLRNC AND HAD BEEN RELEASED ON 119.4 ON GND AT MWO AND THAT I HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE RELEASE BY READING BACK 'RELEASED, TURN R TO 280 DEGS AND UP TO 3000 FT.' CTLR THEN, 'CLRED ON COURSE AND UP TO 4000 FT.' I REPEATED CLRNC AND AS I WAS CLBING OUT OF 2000 FT (ON VERY BROKEN XMISSION) I HEARD HIM AGAIN STATE THAT I WAS NOT RELEASED. HE REQUESTED THAT I TRY ANOTHER RADIO. I TRIED TWICE -- NO RESPONSE AND WENT BACK TO ORIGINAL COM. I REMEMBER TRYING BOTH COMS ON GND AND #1 WAS RPTED BROKEN, GARBLED AND UNREADABLE, SO I WAS USING #2. CLBING OUT OF 2200 FT I DECIDED TO PROCEED VFR AND ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL IFR. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I FINALLY GOT CONFIRMATION FROM CTLR OF 'CANCELLATION RECEIVED.' I COULD NOT HEAR HIS ENTIRE XMISSIONS AS THEY WERE BROKEN AND UNREADABLE. I PROCEEDED VFR TOWARD DEST. LATER IN FLT, I DISCOVERED THAT (BY UNICOM ON GND IN WISCONSIN): #1 COM -- XMISSIONS WERE WEAK AND BROKEN RECEIVER OK. #2 COM -- XMISSIONS WERE 'BETTER' (SOMETIMES BROKEN) RECEIVER NIL. PROBS: POOR/BAD COMS CAUSED BY RADIOS IN NEED OF REPAIR? MAYBE DAMP WITH MOISTURE? MAYBE WEAK? ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT I HAD VOLUME UP TO MAX. ACTION: I COULDN'T TELL IF I WAS XMITTING, AND SOME/MOST RECEPTIONS WERE BAD AFTER DEP. I DID THE ONLY PRACTICAL THING IN VFR CONDITIONS -- CANCEL. IF IN IFR CONDITIONS, I WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO MWO, IN VFR CONDITIONS. AS FAR AS RELEASE: I READ CLRNC BACK, CALLED READY AT END OF RWY 23 (MWO). I READ RELEASE BACK. I HEARD 'YOU ARE RELEASED, HDG 280 DEGS AND 3000 FT.'

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.