Narrative:

We taxied out at psp around XA30. The clearance limit was the psp VOR (our final destination was hio, about 760 mi away) and the altitude specified was 9000 ft. We held for release for approximately 10 mins, before tower asked if we could accept a VFR climb. We answered that we could, and we were cleared for takeoff. Immediately after takeoff, the copilot asked what we were going to do, and I replied that we would go to the VOR (per the SID). The VOR is only about 5 mi away, and by the time we were nearing the VOR we were approaching 9000 ft. Meanwhile, we had no handoff from tower to psp departure (tower frequency had suddenly become busy), so I told the copilot to go ahead and switch to departure so we could get a further clearance. There was no answer on departure, so we went back to tower. Tower told us to contact ZLA on a different frequency. By this time, we were at the VOR and I had not thought about the hold entry (for that matter, we really didn't have any holding instructions). I figured that we were still VFR (and it was severe clear), so I started a left turn. Meanwhile, ZLA seemed to not be expecting us. Eventually they got us a clearance, and we were on our way. In retrospect, I believe that I made 2 errors. The first was in accepting the 'VFR climb' clearance at all. A later review of our operations specifications shows that this is not allowed get homeitis. Second, I should have planned (and briefed) the hold entry, and just entered the hold at psp VOR. There is a hold depicted on the SID, and I should have gone ahead and done that. However, I had some confusion over whether we were VFR or IFR, and I mistakenly believed we would receive further clearance as soon as we switched to departure and before we reached the VOR (or at least that we would receive holding instructions). I was surprised at having the VOR as the clearance limit. I don't remember the last time I was in that situation, and virtually every time I have been in that situation, ATC has given us a further clearance before we reached the clearance limit. I assumed that would happen this time as well, which was obviously a mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A LEARJET IS CONFUSED AFTER ACCEPTING A VFR DEP FROM THE TWR CTLR AND TO WHERE HE SHOULD GO TO PICK UP HIS FILED IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: WE TAXIED OUT AT PSP AROUND XA30. THE CLRNC LIMIT WAS THE PSP VOR (OUR FINAL DEST WAS HIO, ABOUT 760 MI AWAY) AND THE ALT SPECIFIED WAS 9000 FT. WE HELD FOR RELEASE FOR APPROX 10 MINS, BEFORE TWR ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT A VFR CLB. WE ANSWERED THAT WE COULD, AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, THE COPLT ASKED WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, AND I REPLIED THAT WE WOULD GO TO THE VOR (PER THE SID). THE VOR IS ONLY ABOUT 5 MI AWAY, AND BY THE TIME WE WERE NEARING THE VOR WE WERE APCHING 9000 FT. MEANWHILE, WE HAD NO HDOF FROM TWR TO PSP DEP (TWR FREQ HAD SUDDENLY BECOME BUSY), SO I TOLD THE COPLT TO GO AHEAD AND SWITCH TO DEP SO WE COULD GET A FURTHER CLRNC. THERE WAS NO ANSWER ON DEP, SO WE WENT BACK TO TWR. TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT ZLA ON A DIFFERENT FREQ. BY THIS TIME, WE WERE AT THE VOR AND I HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THE HOLD ENTRY (FOR THAT MATTER, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS). I FIGURED THAT WE WERE STILL VFR (AND IT WAS SEVERE CLR), SO I STARTED A L TURN. MEANWHILE, ZLA SEEMED TO NOT BE EXPECTING US. EVENTUALLY THEY GOT US A CLRNC, AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THAT I MADE 2 ERRORS. THE FIRST WAS IN ACCEPTING THE 'VFR CLB' CLRNC AT ALL. A LATER REVIEW OF OUR OPS SPECS SHOWS THAT THIS IS NOT ALLOWED GET HOMEITIS. SECOND, I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED (AND BRIEFED) THE HOLD ENTRY, AND JUST ENTERED THE HOLD AT PSP VOR. THERE IS A HOLD DEPICTED ON THE SID, AND I SHOULD HAVE GONE AHEAD AND DONE THAT. HOWEVER, I HAD SOME CONFUSION OVER WHETHER WE WERE VFR OR IFR, AND I MISTAKENLY BELIEVED WE WOULD RECEIVE FURTHER CLRNC AS SOON AS WE SWITCHED TO DEP AND BEFORE WE REACHED THE VOR (OR AT LEAST THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS). I WAS SURPRISED AT HAVING THE VOR AS THE CLRNC LIMIT. I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS IN THAT SIT, AND VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME I HAVE BEEN IN THAT SIT, ATC HAS GIVEN US A FURTHER CLRNC BEFORE WE REACHED THE CLRNC LIMIT. I ASSUMED THAT WOULD HAPPEN THIS TIME AS WELL, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE.

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.