B737-300 flight crew departs bur on a VFR climb vice the normal IFR departure.

Attributes
ACN	601137
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : bur.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	601137
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On ground, we asked clearance to coordination a VMC climb on course direct dag in order to short cut our filed SID routing. During taxi out, ground advised that we were cleared left turn direct dag and maintain VMC. When we contacted departure, we were advised that we were VFR and not on a VMC climb, on an IFR clearance. Shortly after that, we were given an IFR clearance and the flight continued without incident. Apparently, clearance delivery at bur did not understand that we wanted to stay on our IFR clearance and we were actually cleared for takeoff VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW DEPARTS BUR ON A VFR CLB VICE THE NORMAL IFR DEP.

Narrative: ON GND, WE ASKED CLRNC TO COORD A VMC CLB ON COURSE DIRECT DAG IN ORDER TO SHORT CUT OUR FILED SID ROUTING. DURING TAXI OUT, GND ADVISED THAT WE WERE CLRED L TURN DIRECT DAG AND MAINTAIN VMC. WHEN WE CONTACTED DEP, WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE WERE VFR AND NOT ON A VMC CLB, ON AN IFR CLRNC. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE WERE GIVEN AN IFR CLRNC AND THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. APPARENTLY, CLRNC DELIVERY AT BUR DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANTED TO STAY ON OUR IFR CLRNC AND WE WERE ACTUALLY CLRED FOR TKOF VFR.

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.