Narrative:

I got a briefing from WX brief on sat morning 9/sat/01 at approximately XA00 local. The briefer accepted my IFR flight plan for XG30 local, said with a tower at lcq I should have no problem and said IFR cannot be filed in the air. I did not realize he meant opening an IFR flight plan after VFR departure was prohibited. I drove 4 hours to lcq, tried to raise the tower on 121.9 and 119.2 but got no response. I called the FBO on 122.7 and was told the tower had no one in it. I tried calling ZJX center on 125.95 but could not raise them from the ground. I departed VFR from lcq and tried to continue to raise ZJX center on 125.95. Upon reaching 2000 ft MSL I still could not raise ZJX center. Failing to reach ZJX center on 125.95 I found that gainesville regional on the us terminal procedures uses 118.175 for ZJX center. I raised ZJX center on 118.175 and was told to call them when I landed for a possible pilot violation. They then cleared me to pgd at 5000 ft I flew home to pgd IFR for the remainder of my flight. The primary factor that caused this violation is that it was not clear to me from the briefer that I could not take off VFR and open IFR. Trying to get home for 5 days on a flight that should have taken 1 day, being grounded for long periods of time and getting conflicting information from briefer's over that period of time added to the confusion on my part. Finally the emotional impact of the twin towers tragedy and the death of my father on sept/sun may have caused additional stress which led to my confusion. It is very important, especially in times of crisis, that complete, thorough and accurate information be dispensed by briefer's. Had the briefer said I could not depart VFR, I never would have.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PLT DEP VFR WITH THE INTENTION OF PICKING UP HIS IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR.

Narrative: I GOT A BRIEFING FROM WX BRIEF ON SAT MORNING 9/SAT/01 AT APPROX XA00 LOCAL. THE BRIEFER ACCEPTED MY IFR FLT PLAN FOR XG30 LOCAL, SAID WITH A TOWER AT LCQ I SHOULD HAVE NO PROB AND SAID IFR CANNOT BE FILED IN THE AIR. I DID NOT REALIZE HE MEANT OPENING AN IFR FLT PLAN AFTER VFR DEP WAS PROHIBITED. I DROVE 4 HOURS TO LCQ, TRIED TO RAISE THE TOWER ON 121.9 AND 119.2 BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. I CALLED THE FBO ON 122.7 AND WAS TOLD THE TOWER HAD NO ONE IN IT. I TRIED CALLING ZJX CENTER ON 125.95 BUT COULD NOT RAISE THEM FROM THE GROUND. I DEPARTED VFR FROM LCQ AND TRIED TO CONTINUE TO RAISE ZJX CENTER ON 125.95. UPON REACHING 2000 FT MSL I STILL COULD NOT RAISE ZJX CENTER. FAILING TO REACH ZJX CENTER ON 125.95 I FOUND THAT GAINESVILLE REGIONAL ON THE US TERMINAL PROCEDURES USES 118.175 FOR ZJX CENTER. I RAISED ZJX CENTER ON 118.175 AND WAS TOLD TO CALL THEM WHEN I LANDED FOR A POSSIBLE PLT VIOLATION. THEY THEN CLRED ME TO PGD AT 5000 FT I FLEW HOME TO PGD IFR FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY FLT. THE PRIMARY FACTOR THAT CAUSED THIS VIOLATION IS THAT IT WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME FROM THE BRIEFER THAT I COULD NOT TAKE OFF VFR AND OPEN IFR. TRYING TO GET HOME FOR 5 DAYS ON A FLT THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN 1 DAY, BEING GROUNDED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND GETTING CONFLICTING INFORMATION FROM BRIEFER'S OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME ADDED TO THE CONFUSION ON MY PART. FINALLY THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE TWIN TOWERS TRAGEDY AND THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON SEPT/SUN MAY HAVE CAUSED ADDITIONAL STRESS WHICH LED TO MY CONFUSION. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF CRISIS, THAT COMPLETE, THOROUGH AND ACCURATE INFORMATION BE DISPENSED BY BRIEFER'S. HAD THE BRIEFER SAID I COULD NOT DEPART VFR, I NEVER WOULD HAVE.

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.