Narrative:

The pilot called on the ground via remote frequency requesting IFR clearance to rvs (tulsa-riverside). Issued the clearance with the first item being 'hold for release.' the pilot read back the clearance, I told him 'readback correct, which runway and how long before you're ready.' he replied runway 35, but I didn't hear the time and wasn't positive of the runway due to another frequency overriding his reply. Within less than 20 seconds or so, during which I was coordinating the use of west departure airspace for, but the release, I requested that the pilot verify the departure runway there was no reply. Approximately 3 mins later the pilot reported airborne off awm, after the initial contact, in which I issued 'radar contact.' I informed the pilot that he did not have an IFR release from the airport. He retorted that 'the other guy' never told him to hold. I replied that it was indeed the first instruction given. This occurred during a busy arrival push at mem so I could not give my undivided attention to this 1 pilot. After reviewing the rules in both the aim and the 7110.65N, I came to the conclusion that my error lay in not issuing an 'expect further clearance' time, but the pilot's mistake lay in departing an airport within the class B airspace with only an IFR clearance, not a release.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON THE GND AT AN UNCTLED ARPT CALLS MEM APCH FOR AN IFR CLRNC THEN DEPARTS WITHOUT A RELEASE.

Narrative: THE PLT CALLED ON THE GND VIA REMOTE FREQ REQUESTING IFR CLRNC TO RVS (TULSA-RIVERSIDE). ISSUED THE CLRNC WITH THE FIRST ITEM BEING 'HOLD FOR RELEASE.' THE PLT READ BACK THE CLRNC, I TOLD HIM 'READBACK CORRECT, WHICH RWY AND HOW LONG BEFORE YOU'RE READY.' HE REPLIED RWY 35, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR THE TIME AND WASN'T POSITIVE OF THE RWY DUE TO ANOTHER FREQ OVERRIDING HIS REPLY. WITHIN LESS THAN 20 SECONDS OR SO, DURING WHICH I WAS COORDINATING THE USE OF W DEP AIRSPACE FOR, BUT THE RELEASE, I REQUESTED THAT THE PLT VERIFY THE DEP RWY THERE WAS NO REPLY. APPROX 3 MINS LATER THE PLT REPORTED AIRBORNE OFF AWM, AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT, IN WHICH I ISSUED 'RADAR CONTACT.' I INFORMED THE PLT THAT HE DID NOT HAVE AN IFR RELEASE FROM THE ARPT. HE RETORTED THAT 'THE OTHER GUY' NEVER TOLD HIM TO HOLD. I REPLIED THAT IT WAS INDEED THE FIRST INSTRUCTION GIVEN. THIS OCCURRED DURING A BUSY ARR PUSH AT MEM SO I COULD NOT GIVE MY UNDIVIDED ATTN TO THIS 1 PLT. AFTER REVIEWING THE RULES IN BOTH THE AIM AND THE 7110.65N, I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MY ERROR LAY IN NOT ISSUING AN 'EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC' TIME, BUT THE PLT'S MISTAKE LAY IN DEPARTING AN ARPT WITHIN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WITH ONLY AN IFR CLRNC, NOT A RELEASE.

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.