PA60 pilot was unable to contact dab departure because of frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	457850
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : coi.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-60 600 Aerostar
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3850 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	457850
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance ATC Facility FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

Narrative:

I was returning my aerostar from the radio shop at coi to my home at FD38 (wellington aeronautical club airport). The WX had been IFR but was improving rapidly. Just to be on the safe side, I filed an IFR flight plan and was cleared by phone with a void time of XA35Z. I took off about that time and turned to a heading of 270 degrees and climbed to 2000 ft, as directed. I tried to call dab approach and although he kept saying 'stand by,' I could not tell whether the controller was working me IFR or not. He was very busy. Since I was in good VFR WX and knew the WX was good VFR to destination, I canceled IFR, climbed to 2900 ft to be above the class D airspace and headed south. I do not fault the controller as he was very busy. I felt it was best not to enter the IFR WX wbound since we had not established radar contact and mco class B airspace was further west. The approach controller gave me the ZMA frequency and he was too busy for advisories. Finally, pbi approach picked me up on radar 40 mi north of destination and gave me advisories to FD38.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA60 PLT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT DAB DEP BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING MY AEROSTAR FROM THE RADIO SHOP AT COI TO MY HOME AT FD38 (WELLINGTON AERO CLUB ARPT). THE WX HAD BEEN IFR BUT WAS IMPROVING RAPIDLY. JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WAS CLRED BY PHONE WITH A VOID TIME OF XA35Z. I TOOK OFF ABOUT THAT TIME AND TURNED TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND CLBED TO 2000 FT, AS DIRECTED. I TRIED TO CALL DAB APCH AND ALTHOUGH HE KEPT SAYING 'STAND BY,' I COULD NOT TELL WHETHER THE CTLR WAS WORKING ME IFR OR NOT. HE WAS VERY BUSY. SINCE I WAS IN GOOD VFR WX AND KNEW THE WX WAS GOOD VFR TO DEST, I CANCELED IFR, CLBED TO 2900 FT TO BE ABOVE THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND HEADED S. I DO NOT FAULT THE CTLR AS HE WAS VERY BUSY. I FELT IT WAS BEST NOT TO ENTER THE IFR WX WBOUND SINCE WE HAD NOT ESTABLISHED RADAR CONTACT AND MCO CLASS B AIRSPACE WAS FURTHER W. THE APCH CTLR GAVE ME THE ZMA FREQ AND HE WAS TOO BUSY FOR ADVISORIES. FINALLY, PBI APCH PICKED ME UP ON RADAR 40 MI N OF DEST AND GAVE ME ADVISORIES TO FD38.

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.