Narrative:

I received a WX briefing from columbus FSS. At that time, I filed an IFR flight plan originating at oma, direct amw at 9000 ft with requested departure time of XA00. Shortly after XA00, I received ATIS and contacted clearance delivery stating 'twin cessna X, IFR ames, iowa.' I was requested to stand by. When recontacted, they asked for my request. I believe I again requested IFR ames. The controller seemed confused and asked if I was a single or twin and type. I replied, cessna 340. He again requested single or twin. I replied 'twin.' he then read back a clearance I believe was 'C340 squawk XXXX, maintain at or below 3500 ft, departure 124.5.' I read back the clearance correcting the aircraft identify. I received taxi clearance and proceeded to departure end runway 14L where I was issued a position and hold. I was then cleared for departure, maintain runway heading. At 1800 ft MSL, I was switched to departure control. I was given TA for a previous departing aircraft at my 11 O'clock position. I advised aircraft in sight. I was then asked to remain clear of traffic and proceeded on course ames. I then turned to heading of 060 degrees and climbed to my requested altitude of 9000 ft. Once reaching, I informed departure I was level 9000 ft and was told I was on a VFR flight plan. I stated no, I was IFR. They then checked and informed me that there was no plan on file. I was then asked to contact ft dodge FSS and file with them. Unable to raise them, I filed with ZMP. Upon landing in ames, I contacted columbus FSS requesting what had happened and informing them of what had occurred. They informed me they would listen to the tapes and would contact me. Later, they called back and stated that inadvertently they had failed to file the plan. I asked what I should do as I was very concerned by the breakdown in communications and was told to contact the tower. They said they would contact them first to explain what had happened and give them a heads up. I then called the tower and was told to contact departure control. After contacting departure control, I was told they had filed an incident report and that I would be contacted by FSDO within the next several days. I believe that there were several areas wherein communications broke down. 1) the failure of columbus FSS to file the plan. 2) the failure of clearance delivery to inform me there was no IFR on file. 3) the failure of me to adequately interpret the clearance given. 4) after receiving the clearance, proceeded direct ames to climb to what I believed was my requested altitude. In this instance, there was no danger to any other aircraft or to myself but procedures and the execution were poor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C340 DEPARTS OMA THINKING HE WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, ATC THINKING HE WAS VFR.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM COLUMBUS FSS. AT THAT TIME, I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN ORIGINATING AT OMA, DIRECT AMW AT 9000 FT WITH REQUESTED DEP TIME OF XA00. SHORTLY AFTER XA00, I RECEIVED ATIS AND CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY STATING 'TWIN CESSNA X, IFR AMES, IOWA.' I WAS REQUESTED TO STAND BY. WHEN RECONTACTED, THEY ASKED FOR MY REQUEST. I BELIEVE I AGAIN REQUESTED IFR AMES. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED AND ASKED IF I WAS A SINGLE OR TWIN AND TYPE. I REPLIED, CESSNA 340. HE AGAIN REQUESTED SINGLE OR TWIN. I REPLIED 'TWIN.' HE THEN READ BACK A CLRNC I BELIEVE WAS 'C340 SQUAWK XXXX, MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 3500 FT, DEP 124.5.' I READ BACK THE CLRNC CORRECTING THE ACFT IDENT. I RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO DEP END RWY 14L WHERE I WAS ISSUED A POS AND HOLD. I WAS THEN CLRED FOR DEP, MAINTAIN RWY HDG. AT 1800 FT MSL, I WAS SWITCHED TO DEP CTL. I WAS GIVEN TA FOR A PREVIOUS DEPARTING ACFT AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS. I ADVISED ACFT IN SIGHT. I WAS THEN ASKED TO REMAIN CLR OF TFC AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE AMES. I THEN TURNED TO HDG OF 060 DEGS AND CLBED TO MY REQUESTED ALT OF 9000 FT. ONCE REACHING, I INFORMED DEP I WAS LEVEL 9000 FT AND WAS TOLD I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN. I STATED NO, I WAS IFR. THEY THEN CHKED AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO PLAN ON FILE. I WAS THEN ASKED TO CONTACT FT DODGE FSS AND FILE WITH THEM. UNABLE TO RAISE THEM, I FILED WITH ZMP. UPON LNDG IN AMES, I CONTACTED COLUMBUS FSS REQUESTING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND INFORMING THEM OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THEY INFORMED ME THEY WOULD LISTEN TO THE TAPES AND WOULD CONTACT ME. LATER, THEY CALLED BACK AND STATED THAT INADVERTENTLY THEY HAD FAILED TO FILE THE PLAN. I ASKED WHAT I SHOULD DO AS I WAS VERY CONCERNED BY THE BREAKDOWN IN COMS AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT THEM FIRST TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND GIVE THEM A HEADS UP. I THEN CALLED THE TWR AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL, I WAS TOLD THEY HAD FILED AN INCIDENT RPT AND THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED BY FSDO WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL AREAS WHEREIN COMS BROKE DOWN. 1) THE FAILURE OF COLUMBUS FSS TO FILE THE PLAN. 2) THE FAILURE OF CLRNC DELIVERY TO INFORM ME THERE WAS NO IFR ON FILE. 3) THE FAILURE OF ME TO ADEQUATELY INTERPRET THE CLRNC GIVEN. 4) AFTER RECEIVING THE CLRNC, PROCEEDED DIRECT AMES TO CLB TO WHAT I BELIEVED WAS MY REQUESTED ALT. IN THIS INSTANCE, THERE WAS NO DANGER TO ANY OTHER ACFT OR TO MYSELF BUT PROCS AND THE EXECUTION WERE POOR.

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.