Narrative:

Day began departing dto in clear skies with a friend, my wife and 2 of my children for eyq. Low ceilings at eyq required NDB approach. Broke out at 1400 ft MSL with airport in sight and circled to land. My wife remained in houston. After refueling we taxied to runway 9 at eyq and tried 4 times on the ground to contact houston departure control on 123.8 for clearance (IFR flight plan was filed). I made the decision to takeoff and contact departure in the air while remaining VFR in the pattern at eyq. My decision was based on my visual observation of WX conditions and the fact that 1 hour earlier I personally observed the ceiling at 1400 ft MSL. At 500 ft AGL I changed from CTAF to departure frequency and announced, 'off from weiser, requesting clearance.' at 700 ft AGL in VMC, I turned left crosswind as the controller responded, 'remain VFR.' as those words came out of his mouth, I inadvertently entered IMC and announced to the controller that I was in 'the milk.' the controller gave me a transponder code, heading, and altitude. Shortly thereafter he gave me the remainder of my clearance and asked me to contact the houston TRACON supervisor by phone. I called him upon arrival at dto. He indicated he would file a pilot deviation report. Considerations: my entry into IMC prior to clearance was inadvertent, accidental and unexpected. I took immediate action as requested by the controller. My flight proceeded without incident. I know there are many uncontrolled airports without a clearance delivery, eyq is one. I will be purchasing a cell phone for future use on the ground to receive clearance at such airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SENECA DEPARTS PRIOR TO RECEIVING IFR CLRNC AND ATTEMPTS TO ACQUIRE IT DURING CLB. HE ENTERS IFR PRIOR TO CLRNC.

Narrative: DAY BEGAN DEPARTING DTO IN CLR SKIES WITH A FRIEND, MY WIFE AND 2 OF MY CHILDREN FOR EYQ. LOW CEILINGS AT EYQ REQUIRED NDB APCH. BROKE OUT AT 1400 FT MSL WITH ARPT IN SIGHT AND CIRCLED TO LAND. MY WIFE REMAINED IN HOUSTON. AFTER REFUELING WE TAXIED TO RWY 9 AT EYQ AND TRIED 4 TIMES ON THE GND TO CONTACT HOUSTON DEP CTL ON 123.8 FOR CLRNC (IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED). I MADE THE DECISION TO TKOF AND CONTACT DEP IN THE AIR WHILE REMAINING VFR IN THE PATTERN AT EYQ. MY DECISION WAS BASED ON MY VISUAL OBSERVATION OF WX CONDITIONS AND THE FACT THAT 1 HR EARLIER I PERSONALLY OBSERVED THE CEILING AT 1400 FT MSL. AT 500 FT AGL I CHANGED FROM CTAF TO DEP FREQ AND ANNOUNCED, 'OFF FROM WEISER, REQUESTING CLRNC.' AT 700 FT AGL IN VMC, I TURNED L XWIND AS THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'REMAIN VFR.' AS THOSE WORDS CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC AND ANNOUNCED TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS IN 'THE MILK.' THE CTLR GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE, HDG, AND ALT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE GAVE ME THE REMAINDER OF MY CLRNC AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE HOUSTON TRACON SUPVR BY PHONE. I CALLED HIM UPON ARR AT DTO. HE INDICATED HE WOULD FILE A PLTDEV RPT. CONSIDERATIONS: MY ENTRY INTO IMC PRIOR TO CLRNC WAS INADVERTENT, ACCIDENTAL AND UNEXPECTED. I TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION AS REQUESTED BY THE CTLR. MY FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY UNCTLED ARPTS WITHOUT A CLRNC DELIVERY, EYQ IS ONE. I WILL BE PURCHASING A CELL PHONE FOR FUTURE USE ON THE GND TO RECEIVE CLRNC AT SUCH ARPTS.

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.