Narrative:

Requested and received IFR clearance from mfr airport to pdx via jackson 6 SID, maintain 11000 ft from mfr tower ground control, about XA50 local. No void time or hold for release was issued. After engine start, received taxi instructions to runway 32, at XA59 local. Ground controller then announced on ground control frequency that medford tower was closed and class D airspace no longer in effect at XB00. No amended clearance was issued to us as we taxied to runway 32. We (aircraft X) tuned and monitored CTAF 119.4 and held short of runway 32 as a B737 landed, and then a twin beech travel air (aircraft Y) ahead of us announced their takeoff on runway 32 on CTAF. We observed beech departure and announced our taxi onto runway 32 and then our takeoff roll on runway 32. The beech was in visual contact at all times, and was observed diverging north of our intended departure path ot oed VOR. Clear skies and unrestr visibility prevailed in the area. Estimated the beech was 3 mi ahead and to our 1 O'clock position as we departed, while monitoring CTAF. Climbing through bout 3000 ft MSL, we switched to eug departure frequency 124.3 as controller and beech pilot referenced us (brasilia). Beech pilot reported us in sight at his 8 O'clock position. I observed beech visually and on TCASII as we passed at least 1 mi south of and at least 500 ft or more and rapidly outclbing beech as we passed to his 9 O'clock. I reported beech in site on initial contact with eugene departure. He advised we had 'clipped his (the beechcraft) airspace' and asked if we didn't get his hold for release. I advised we had not been issued a hold for release. He also had a phone number for us to call after landing. The PIC and I complied and called after landing in portland. The controller concerned was gone for the night. Cause: clearance was issued without a void time, hold for release, or pre takeoff contact instruction to crew. Contributing factors: late hour, end of duty time for both controllers involved, possible fatigue, crew did not question preceding departure as possibly IFR aircraft. Crew had no reason to suspect beech was IFR, as WX was good VMC. Departure controller seemed surprised that we did not receive hold for release. Recommendations: ATC should provide void time or hold for release with IFR clearance if tower may close within 30 mins, or otherwise may be unable to obtain an IFR release, if one is required. This may not be required if no other IFR inbound or outbound traffic has been issued clearance for that airport or common terminal route and altitude. Otherwise departing IFR must be directed to contact controling agency for clearance or release, unless it may depart and maintain VFR conditions until contact is made with ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EUG TRACON CTLR QUESTIONS E120 ON CLBOUT FROM MFR WHEN PASSING A PREVIOUSLY DEPARTING BE95.

Narrative: REQUESTED AND RECEIVED IFR CLRNC FROM MFR ARPT TO PDX VIA JACKSON 6 SID, MAINTAIN 11000 FT FROM MFR TWR GND CTL, ABOUT XA50 LCL. NO VOID TIME OR HOLD FOR RELEASE WAS ISSUED. AFTER ENG START, RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 32, AT XA59 LCL. GND CTLR THEN ANNOUNCED ON GND CTL FREQ THAT MEDFORD TWR WAS CLOSED AND CLASS D AIRSPACE NO LONGER IN EFFECT AT XB00. NO AMENDED CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO US AS WE TAXIED TO RWY 32. WE (ACFT X) TUNED AND MONITORED CTAF 119.4 AND HELD SHORT OF RWY 32 AS A B737 LANDED, AND THEN A TWIN BEECH TRAVEL AIR (ACFT Y) AHEAD OF US ANNOUNCED THEIR TKOF ON RWY 32 ON CTAF. WE OBSERVED BEECH DEP AND ANNOUNCED OUR TAXI ONTO RWY 32 AND THEN OUR TKOF ROLL ON RWY 32. THE BEECH WAS IN VISUAL CONTACT AT ALL TIMES, AND WAS OBSERVED DIVERGING N OF OUR INTENDED DEP PATH OT OED VOR. CLR SKIES AND UNRESTR VISIBILITY PREVAILED IN THE AREA. ESTIMATED THE BEECH WAS 3 MI AHEAD AND TO OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AS WE DEPARTED, WHILE MONITORING CTAF. CLBING THROUGH BOUT 3000 FT MSL, WE SWITCHED TO EUG DEP FREQ 124.3 AS CTLR AND BEECH PLT REFED US (BRASILIA). BEECH PLT RPTED US IN SIGHT AT HIS 8 O'CLOCK POS. I OBSERVED BEECH VISUALLY AND ON TCASII AS WE PASSED AT LEAST 1 MI S OF AND AT LEAST 500 FT OR MORE AND RAPIDLY OUTCLBING BEECH AS WE PASSED TO HIS 9 O'CLOCK. I RPTED BEECH IN SITE ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH EUGENE DEP. HE ADVISED WE HAD 'CLIPPED HIS (THE BEECHCRAFT) AIRSPACE' AND ASKED IF WE DIDN'T GET HIS HOLD FOR RELEASE. I ADVISED WE HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED A HOLD FOR RELEASE. HE ALSO HAD A PHONE NUMBER FOR US TO CALL AFTER LNDG. THE PIC AND I COMPLIED AND CALLED AFTER LNDG IN PORTLAND. THE CTLR CONCERNED WAS GONE FOR THE NIGHT. CAUSE: CLRNC WAS ISSUED WITHOUT A VOID TIME, HOLD FOR RELEASE, OR PRE TKOF CONTACT INSTRUCTION TO CREW. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LATE HR, END OF DUTY TIME FOR BOTH CTLRS INVOLVED, POSSIBLE FATIGUE, CREW DID NOT QUESTION PRECEDING DEP AS POSSIBLY IFR ACFT. CREW HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT BEECH WAS IFR, AS WX WAS GOOD VMC. DEP CTLR SEEMED SURPRISED THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE HOLD FOR RELEASE. RECOMMENDATIONS: ATC SHOULD PROVIDE VOID TIME OR HOLD FOR RELEASE WITH IFR CLRNC IF TWR MAY CLOSE WITHIN 30 MINS, OR OTHERWISE MAY BE UNABLE TO OBTAIN AN IFR RELEASE, IF ONE IS REQUIRED. THIS MAY NOT BE REQUIRED IF NO OTHER IFR INBOUND OR OUTBOUND TFC HAS BEEN ISSUED CLRNC FOR THAT ARPT OR COMMON TERMINAL RTE AND ALT. OTHERWISE DEPARTING IFR MUST BE DIRECTED TO CONTACT CTLING AGENCY FOR CLRNC OR RELEASE, UNLESS IT MAY DEPART AND MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS UNTIL CONTACT IS MADE WITH ATC.

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.