Narrative:

This is a communication error that I think everyone can learn from. We had just departed runway 16R at ft collins, en route to minneapolis. We departed VFR and were climbing through 10500 ft MSL as my copilot tried to pick up our clearance from denver. We had passenger on board. The copilot told ATC that we had departed and were climbing through 10500 ft and would like our clearance. The controller came back with 'cleared as filed to msp, climb and maintain 8000 ft, then issued a squawk code, ATC departure frequency, and 'hold for release.' the copilot stated, 'we are already airborne.' ATC said to maintain 8000 ft, so we stopped climbing and headed back down to 8000 ft. Just as we got to 8000 ft, we were cleared to FL230. The controller thought we were still on the ground. I had tried to get our clearance before we left, but the controller was handling 3-4 frequencys and we did not have a gpu, so I elected to shut the aircraft down to conserve batteries for our start. I failed to let clearance know I was doing this. Once our passenger showed up, we started and then taxied out and took off. This, I believe, led to the confusion, or miscom. In the future, I will advise ATC of what my intentions are to keep them in the loop, and not forget to call before a departure once I've tried to get the clearance. Ft collins is a class east airport, so we do depart VFR on occasion. I believe that more controllers on duty during busy times would also help communications. Monitoring 3-4 frequencys is not always in the best interest of safety.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: D01 CTLR COM MIX-UP RESULTS IN AN LJ31 DSNDING TO AN ALT ISSUED BY THE CTLR EXPECTING THE ACFT TO BE STILL ON THE GND AT FNL.

Narrative: THIS IS A COM ERROR THAT I THINK EVERYONE CAN LEARN FROM. WE HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 16R AT FT COLLINS, ENRTE TO MINNEAPOLIS. WE DEPARTED VFR AND WERE CLBING THROUGH 10500 FT MSL AS MY COPLT TRIED TO PICK UP OUR CLRNC FROM DENVER. WE HAD PAX ON BOARD. THE COPLT TOLD ATC THAT WE HAD DEPARTED AND WERE CLBING THROUGH 10500 FT AND WOULD LIKE OUR CLRNC. THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH 'CLRED AS FILED TO MSP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT, THEN ISSUED A SQUAWK CODE, ATC DEP FREQ, AND 'HOLD FOR RELEASE.' THE COPLT STATED, 'WE ARE ALREADY AIRBORNE.' ATC SAID TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT, SO WE STOPPED CLBING AND HEADED BACK DOWN TO 8000 FT. JUST AS WE GOT TO 8000 FT, WE WERE CLRED TO FL230. THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE STILL ON THE GND. I HAD TRIED TO GET OUR CLRNC BEFORE WE LEFT, BUT THE CTLR WAS HANDLING 3-4 FREQS AND WE DID NOT HAVE A GPU, SO I ELECTED TO SHUT THE ACFT DOWN TO CONSERVE BATTERIES FOR OUR START. I FAILED TO LET CLRNC KNOW I WAS DOING THIS. ONCE OUR PAX SHOWED UP, WE STARTED AND THEN TAXIED OUT AND TOOK OFF. THIS, I BELIEVE, LED TO THE CONFUSION, OR MISCOM. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ADVISE ATC OF WHAT MY INTENTIONS ARE TO KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP, AND NOT FORGET TO CALL BEFORE A DEP ONCE I'VE TRIED TO GET THE CLRNC. FT COLLINS IS A CLASS E ARPT, SO WE DO DEPART VFR ON OCCASION. I BELIEVE THAT MORE CTLRS ON DUTY DURING BUSY TIMES WOULD ALSO HELP COMS. MONITORING 3-4 FREQS IS NOT ALWAYS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY.

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.