Lancair pilot departs VFR and encounters IMC prior to receiving IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	634677
Time
Date	200410
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : s07.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
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 : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	634677
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I filed an instrument flight plan. I was unable to raise center on the ground for a clearance. I departed VMC and contacted ZSE airborne. They assigned a squawk code which I entered. Soon thereafter I was inadvertently IMC when center advised me of traffic departing rdm. I reported I was IMC. They requested specific position and altitude and then advised me to report reaching 8000 ft which I did. I was then radar idented and cleared on course to my requested altitude of 17000 ft. This occurred because I have made this flight many times and have always picked up my clearance airborne VMC. Conditions at S07 appeared satisfactory to do the same on this flight. Conditions were lower in a few mi from the airport than when I departed resulting in inadvertently entering IMC before I had a complete clearance. When I received the squawk code I was not advised to maintain VFR pending further instructions. When advised of the potential traffic I certainly wanted center to know immediately I was IMC. To avoid this in the future I will get a phone clearance on the ground with a void time allowing me to depart in a controled manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANCAIR PLT DEPARTS VFR AND ENCOUNTERS IMC PRIOR TO RECEIVING IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: I FILED AN INST FLT PLAN. I WAS UNABLE TO RAISE CTR ON THE GND FOR A CLRNC. I DEPARTED VMC AND CONTACTED ZSE AIRBORNE. THEY ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE WHICH I ENTERED. SOON THEREAFTER I WAS INADVERTENTLY IMC WHEN CTR ADVISED ME OF TFC DEPARTING RDM. I RPTED I WAS IMC. THEY REQUESTED SPECIFIC POS AND ALT AND THEN ADVISED ME TO RPT REACHING 8000 FT WHICH I DID. I WAS THEN RADAR IDENTED AND CLRED ON COURSE TO MY REQUESTED ALT OF 17000 FT. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE I HAVE MADE THIS FLT MANY TIMES AND HAVE ALWAYS PICKED UP MY CLRNC AIRBORNE VMC. CONDITIONS AT S07 APPEARED SATISFACTORY TO DO THE SAME ON THIS FLT. CONDITIONS WERE LOWER IN A FEW MI FROM THE ARPT THAN WHEN I DEPARTED RESULTING IN INADVERTENTLY ENTERING IMC BEFORE I HAD A COMPLETE CLRNC. WHEN I RECEIVED THE SQUAWK CODE I WAS NOT ADVISED TO MAINTAIN VFR PENDING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN ADVISED OF THE POTENTIAL TFC I CERTAINLY WANTED CTR TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY I WAS IMC. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE I WILL GET A PHONE CLRNC ON THE GND WITH A VOID TIME ALLOWING ME TO DEPART IN A CTLED MANNER.

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.