A C550 crew departed mtj without an IFR release from ZDV.

Attributes
ACN	534029
Time
Date	200201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtj.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 970 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	534029
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	534024
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called ZDV to pick up our IFR clearance to las. ZDV gave us a clearance to the mtj VOR at 13000 ft and a squawk code, and we were told to hold for release. We taxied out to the departure end of runway 31, since it was the closest runway. We arrived at the departure end, and made a call on CTAF to see if there was any other traffic in the area. A person from the FBO called that there was an aircraft setting up for the ILS 17 approach, but he was still talking to ZDV. Since we didn't hear him on CTAF yet, we decided to depart. As we were rolling down the runway, I realized that we were supposed to hold for our clearance, and that we hadn't called ZDV. I called them up, and the controller stated that we would be released after the traffic on the approach had landed. I owned up to our mistake and told him that we had already departed, and that we were in a left turn back to the mtj VOR. The controller stated he was upset and that we were VFR and clearing the area. He advised us to switch back to CTAF and find out the position of the landing aircraft. The pilot of the other aircraft stated that he was about 8 mi out to the north. We were 2.6 mi south of the mtj VOR at that point, eastbound. We then switched back to ZDV's frequency and advised them that we had made contact with the landing traffic, and that we presented no hazard to their approach. He asked us if we were VFR and we stated that we were, and that we could maintain VFR throughout a climb. The controller then cleared us to 16000 ft and subsequently revised the clearance to 13000 ft. At that point he admonished us that IFR departure procedures must be followed, and gave us a phone number to call. We landed in las vegas, and as soon as the aircraft was hangared, we contacted our chief pilot as to how he wanted to handle the situation. He advised to call the number and 'fess up, with our hats in our hands.' we called and talked to the operations manager. The supervisor stated that a report had already been filed with flight standards, citing the loss of separation between the aircraft as the reason.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C550 CREW DEPARTED MTJ WITHOUT AN IFR RELEASE FROM ZDV.

Narrative: I CALLED ZDV TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC TO LAS. ZDV GAVE US A CLRNC TO THE MTJ VOR AT 13000 FT AND A SQUAWK CODE, AND WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD FOR RELEASE. WE TAXIED OUT TO THE DEP END OF RWY 31, SINCE IT WAS THE CLOSEST RWY. WE ARRIVED AT THE DEP END, AND MADE A CALL ON CTAF TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. A PERSON FROM THE FBO CALLED THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT SETTING UP FOR THE ILS 17 APCH, BUT HE WAS STILL TALKING TO ZDV. SINCE WE DIDN'T HEAR HIM ON CTAF YET, WE DECIDED TO DEPART. AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HOLD FOR OUR CLRNC, AND THAT WE HADN'T CALLED ZDV. I CALLED THEM UP, AND THE CTLR STATED THAT WE WOULD BE RELEASED AFTER THE TFC ON THE APCH HAD LANDED. I OWNED UP TO OUR MISTAKE AND TOLD HIM THAT WE HAD ALREADY DEPARTED, AND THAT WE WERE IN A L TURN BACK TO THE MTJ VOR. THE CTLR STATED HE WAS UPSET AND THAT WE WERE VFR AND CLRING THE AREA. HE ADVISED US TO SWITCH BACK TO CTAF AND FIND OUT THE POS OF THE LNDG ACFT. THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT STATED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 8 MI OUT TO THE N. WE WERE 2.6 MI S OF THE MTJ VOR AT THAT POINT, EBOUND. WE THEN SWITCHED BACK TO ZDV'S FREQ AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE LNDG TFC, AND THAT WE PRESENTED NO HAZARD TO THEIR APCH. HE ASKED US IF WE WERE VFR AND WE STATED THAT WE WERE, AND THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN VFR THROUGHOUT A CLB. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO 16000 FT AND SUBSEQUENTLY REVISED THE CLRNC TO 13000 FT. AT THAT POINT HE ADMONISHED US THAT IFR DEP PROCS MUST BE FOLLOWED, AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. WE LANDED IN LAS VEGAS, AND AS SOON AS THE ACFT WAS HANGARED, WE CONTACTED OUR CHIEF PLT AS TO HOW HE WANTED TO HANDLE THE SIT. HE ADVISED TO CALL THE NUMBER AND 'FESS UP, WITH OUR HATS IN OUR HANDS.' WE CALLED AND TALKED TO THE OPS MGR. THE SUPVR STATED THAT A RPT HAD ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH FLT STANDARDS, CITING THE LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN THE ACFT AS THE REASON.

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.