Mooney pilot has difficulty picking up IFR clearance after takeoff. He arrives in approach area to f...

Attributes
ACN	452372
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tracon : mcc.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 Scotsman
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR Combined VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	452372
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Oct/xa/99, XA30. I had called FSS at rancho murietta and filed an IFR flight plan from trk to sac. I told the specialist that I would depart VFR and pick up my clearance from ZOA in the air. I departed and called ZOA. He was very busy on the frequency given to me by FSS. I then called on 127.95 and was told to stand by. After several mins, I called again and received no reply. I remembered that the new frequency for reno radio was 125.25 so I called 'reno radio, aircraft X on 125.25.' I got sac approach. I explained to them I was out of trk trying to pick up my IFR clearance for sac and could not raise ZOA. They suggested I try them again and if I could not get them to try sac approach on 119.1. I thanked them and did so. ZOA did answer this time. I told him I was calling to pick up an IFR clearance and that I was on the 270 degree radial of the squaw valley VOR, 16.1 DME at 12000 ft bound for sac. He instructed me to call 119.1. I told him I had just spoken to sac approach and they said to call him. He told me to stand by. When he came back on he gave me a squawk and no more. Very shortly he gave me over to 119.1. I assumed at that time I was IFR. After being handed off to 127.4 I was told that I had traffic. It was very smokey and visibility was about 4-5 mi. I was clear of clouds. I misspoke when I told the woman controller that I was IMC and could not see the traffic. What I should have said was that it was smokey and that I could not see any traffic. She immediately shot back 'you are VFR!' I explained that I was IFR. She asked how I had gotten my clearance. I said that I had filed with rancho murietta and opened with ZOA. She checked and came back and said that she spoke to ZOA and I was VFR. I called after I landed. It appears that the confusion arose when ZOA did not 'clear me to' but just gave me a squawk. It would have been helpful if they had said, knowing that I had an IFR clearance on file, maintain VFR. Miscom between ATC and myself at peak traffic time. Poor visibility due to smoke, heavy IFR traffic. I stated I was IMC (I was not) and ATC informed me I was VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY PLT HAS DIFFICULTY PICKING UP IFR CLRNC AFTER TKOF. HE ARRIVES IN APCH AREA TO FIND APCH THINKS HE IS VFR.

Narrative: OCT/XA/99, XA30. I HAD CALLED FSS AT RANCHO MURIETTA AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TRK TO SAC. I TOLD THE SPECIALIST THAT I WOULD DEPART VFR AND PICK UP MY CLRNC FROM ZOA IN THE AIR. I DEPARTED AND CALLED ZOA. HE WAS VERY BUSY ON THE FREQ GIVEN TO ME BY FSS. I THEN CALLED ON 127.95 AND WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I CALLED AGAIN AND RECEIVED NO REPLY. I REMEMBERED THAT THE NEW FREQ FOR RENO RADIO WAS 125.25 SO I CALLED 'RENO RADIO, ACFT X ON 125.25.' I GOT SAC APCH. I EXPLAINED TO THEM I WAS OUT OF TRK TRYING TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC FOR SAC AND COULD NOT RAISE ZOA. THEY SUGGESTED I TRY THEM AGAIN AND IF I COULD NOT GET THEM TO TRY SAC APCH ON 119.1. I THANKED THEM AND DID SO. ZOA DID ANSWER THIS TIME. I TOLD HIM I WAS CALLING TO PICK UP AN IFR CLRNC AND THAT I WAS ON THE 270 DEG RADIAL OF THE SQUAW VALLEY VOR, 16.1 DME AT 12000 FT BOUND FOR SAC. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL 119.1. I TOLD HIM I HAD JUST SPOKEN TO SAC APCH AND THEY SAID TO CALL HIM. HE TOLD ME TO STAND BY. WHEN HE CAME BACK ON HE GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND NO MORE. VERY SHORTLY HE GAVE ME OVER TO 119.1. I ASSUMED AT THAT TIME I WAS IFR. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO 127.4 I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TFC. IT WAS VERY SMOKEY AND VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 4-5 MI. I WAS CLR OF CLOUDS. I MISSPOKE WHEN I TOLD THE WOMAN CTLR THAT I WAS IMC AND COULD NOT SEE THE TFC. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID WAS THAT IT WAS SMOKEY AND THAT I COULD NOT SEE ANY TFC. SHE IMMEDIATELY SHOT BACK 'YOU ARE VFR!' I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS IFR. SHE ASKED HOW I HAD GOTTEN MY CLRNC. I SAID THAT I HAD FILED WITH RANCHO MURIETTA AND OPENED WITH ZOA. SHE CHKED AND CAME BACK AND SAID THAT SHE SPOKE TO ZOA AND I WAS VFR. I CALLED AFTER I LANDED. IT APPEARS THAT THE CONFUSION AROSE WHEN ZOA DID NOT 'CLR ME TO' BUT JUST GAVE ME A SQUAWK. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF THEY HAD SAID, KNOWING THAT I HAD AN IFR CLRNC ON FILE, MAINTAIN VFR. MISCOM BTWN ATC AND MYSELF AT PEAK TFC TIME. POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO SMOKE, HVY IFR TFC. I STATED I WAS IMC (I WAS NOT) AND ATC INFORMED ME I WAS VFR.

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.

Mooney pilot has difficulty picking up IFR clearance after takeoff. He arrives in approach area to find approach thinks he is VFR.