Piper PA28R private pilot did not have IFR flight plan release prior to takeoff from non tower airpo...

Attributes
ACN	558505
Time
Date	200209
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dts.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 870 flight time type : 632
ASRS Report	558505
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was late in the afternoon and numerous aircraft were departing the dts airport. I contacted eglin clearance, received my IFR clearance as filed and the readback was confirmed with no further instructions heard. While waiting for departure (I was #4 at the time), I again contacted clearance to ask if I needed to contact them when I was #1 for departure (a normal procedure for my base airport). I was told, or at least what I heard was, to contact eglin on departure. The conditions were VFR and there were aircraft departing continuously after the busy wkend so I assumed I was to contact eglin approach once airborne. This is an appropriate VFR procedure for dts, according to the maca program which I had read before arriving at dts. I departed dts and contacted eglin climbing through 800 ft MSL. They said maintain VFR and they would have my clearance momentarily. I indicated that I already had my clearance and approach asked if I had received a hold for release. I indicated that I had not heard this in my clearance and that I had queried clearance a second time (to clarify what I was to do upon reaching the #1 position for takeoff). Eglin stated for me to remain VFR, identify and turn to a 90 degree heading. A moment later, eglin indicated I was cleared as filed and assigned a heading and altitude. Later, I was instructed to resume own navigation and a handoff to ZJX. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. As I listened to the other communications on the eglin approach frequency, it was clear that other departing IFR aircraft were in contact with eglin approach while still on the ground at dtw (dtw has no tower or ground control). It became obvious to me that I should have contacted eglin when I was #1 and not immediately on departure. The contributing factors were: I was departing an unfamiliar airport, it was very busy at departure with many aircraft departing. At my home base, clearance delivery is contacted for the clearance. For the release, departure is contacted once airborne (this was probably the largest contributing factor -- tunnel vision).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA28R PVT PLT DID NOT HAVE IFR FLT PLAN RELEASE PRIOR TO TKOF FROM NON TWR ARPT, RESULTING IN NOT HAVING DEP INSTRUCTIONS WHEN CONTACTING DEP CTL.

Narrative: IT WAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND NUMEROUS ACFT WERE DEPARTING THE DTS ARPT. I CONTACTED EGLIN CLRNC, RECEIVED MY IFR CLRNC AS FILED AND THE READBACK WAS CONFIRMED WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS HEARD. WHILE WAITING FOR DEP (I WAS #4 AT THE TIME), I AGAIN CONTACTED CLRNC TO ASK IF I NEEDED TO CONTACT THEM WHEN I WAS #1 FOR DEP (A NORMAL PROC FOR MY BASE ARPT). I WAS TOLD, OR AT LEAST WHAT I HEARD WAS, TO CONTACT EGLIN ON DEP. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND THERE WERE ACFT DEPARTING CONTINUOUSLY AFTER THE BUSY WKEND SO I ASSUMED I WAS TO CONTACT EGLIN APCH ONCE AIRBORNE. THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE VFR PROC FOR DTS, ACCORDING TO THE MACA PROGRAM WHICH I HAD READ BEFORE ARRIVING AT DTS. I DEPARTED DTS AND CONTACTED EGLIN CLBING THROUGH 800 FT MSL. THEY SAID MAINTAIN VFR AND THEY WOULD HAVE MY CLRNC MOMENTARILY. I INDICATED THAT I ALREADY HAD MY CLRNC AND APCH ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED A HOLD FOR RELEASE. I INDICATED THAT I HAD NOT HEARD THIS IN MY CLRNC AND THAT I HAD QUERIED CLRNC A SECOND TIME (TO CLARIFY WHAT I WAS TO DO UPON REACHING THE #1 POS FOR TKOF). EGLIN STATED FOR ME TO REMAIN VFR, IDENT AND TURN TO A 90 DEG HDG. A MOMENT LATER, EGLIN INDICATED I WAS CLRED AS FILED AND ASSIGNED A HDG AND ALT. LATER, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO RESUME OWN NAV AND A HDOF TO ZJX. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AS I LISTENED TO THE OTHER COMS ON THE EGLIN APCH FREQ, IT WAS CLR THAT OTHER DEPARTING IFR ACFT WERE IN CONTACT WITH EGLIN APCH WHILE STILL ON THE GND AT DTW (DTW HAS NO TWR OR GND CTL). IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED EGLIN WHEN I WAS #1 AND NOT IMMEDIATELY ON DEP. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: I WAS DEPARTING AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT, IT WAS VERY BUSY AT DEP WITH MANY ACFT DEPARTING. AT MY HOME BASE, CLRNC DELIVERY IS CONTACTED FOR THE CLRNC. FOR THE RELEASE, DEP IS CONTACTED ONCE AIRBORNE (THIS WAS PROBABLY THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR -- TUNNEL VISION).

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.

Piper PA28R private pilot did not have IFR flight plan release prior to takeoff from non tower airport, resulting in not having departure instructions when contacting departure control.