Narrative:

I (the pilot) called ground and reported that I had ATIS information and that I would like to taxi to active runway for an eastbound departure with a heading of 278 degrees. To the best of my knowledge he asked me if I wanted IFR clearance. I was confused with his question; but assuming that I was flying an IFR aircraft; I would need IFR clearance. It has been a while; apr/xa/06 to be exact; since my last solo cross country. To get to the point; it has been a while since I have had to file a flight plan. The dispatcher then gave me the following in order; clear to taxi to runway 12R; fly and maintain FL021 until further notice; tune to XXX and squawk XXXX. The dispatcher and I had a miscom with the call sign and the readback; but settled the situation. After contacting ground; tower approved me for takeoff on runway 12R; make right turn to 240 degrees and climb to 2600 ft; and contact departure on XXX. Once airborne; it seemed strange to me being ordered to contact dispatch before opening my flight plan. I then attempted to open my flight plan on XXX. When in contact with a dispatcher; she told me there was nothing on file for my aircraft. This was confusing because I just called around XA30 to file. She then told me that departure would route me to my destination. I then contacted departure and advised them who I was. They advised me to climb to an altitude of 4000 ft; and continue on direct. I then assumed that meant continue on my original path. I was concerned about entering airspace B; and asked departure if I had clearance into class B airspace. The dispatcher then sounded confused by my question and asked if I was on IFR. At this point I believe we were both confused with one another. I was concerned about getting off heading because he had me flying in the southwest direction I needed to be going. He also had me climbing into class B airspace; which I planned on avoiding in my original flight path. I did not know what the dispatcher was having me do. He seemed to be concerned about the traffic in the area and keep the aircraft well apart from one another. We spent about 3-5 mins trying to understand what should be taking place. The dispatcher then advised me to return to the airport. He told me to fly heading 060 degrees and advise when I had the airport in sight. After informing the dispatcher I had airport in sight; I changed frequencys and landed the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT GETS CONFUSED AND ACCEPTS IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: I (THE PLT) CALLED GND AND RPTED THAT I HAD ATIS INFO AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAXI TO ACTIVE RWY FOR AN EBOUND DEP WITH A HDG OF 278 DEGS. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED IFR CLRNC. I WAS CONFUSED WITH HIS QUESTION; BUT ASSUMING THAT I WAS FLYING AN IFR ACFT; I WOULD NEED IFR CLRNC. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE; APR/XA/06 TO BE EXACT; SINCE MY LAST SOLO XCOUNTRY. TO GET TO THE POINT; IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE HAD TO FILE A FLT PLAN. THE DISPATCHER THEN GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING IN ORDER; CLR TO TAXI TO RWY 12R; FLY AND MAINTAIN FL021 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE; TUNE TO XXX AND SQUAWK XXXX. THE DISPATCHER AND I HAD A MISCOM WITH THE CALL SIGN AND THE READBACK; BUT SETTLED THE SITUATION. AFTER CONTACTING GND; TWR APPROVED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 12R; MAKE R TURN TO 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 2600 FT; AND CONTACT DEP ON XXX. ONCE AIRBORNE; IT SEEMED STRANGE TO ME BEING ORDERED TO CONTACT DISPATCH BEFORE OPENING MY FLT PLAN. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN ON XXX. WHEN IN CONTACT WITH A DISPATCHER; SHE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING ON FILE FOR MY ACFT. THIS WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE I JUST CALLED AROUND XA30 TO FILE. SHE THEN TOLD ME THAT DEP WOULD RTE ME TO MY DEST. I THEN CONTACTED DEP AND ADVISED THEM WHO I WAS. THEY ADVISED ME TO CLB TO AN ALT OF 4000 FT; AND CONTINUE ON DIRECT. I THEN ASSUMED THAT MEANT CONTINUE ON MY ORIGINAL PATH. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ENTERING AIRSPACE B; AND ASKED DEP IF I HAD CLRNC INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE DISPATCHER THEN SOUNDED CONFUSED BY MY QUESTION AND ASKED IF I WAS ON IFR. AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE WE WERE BOTH CONFUSED WITH ONE ANOTHER. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING OFF HDG BECAUSE HE HAD ME FLYING IN THE SW DIRECTION I NEEDED TO BE GOING. HE ALSO HAD ME CLBING INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE; WHICH I PLANNED ON AVOIDING IN MY ORIGINAL FLT PATH. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE DISPATCHER WAS HAVING ME DO. HE SEEMED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TFC IN THE AREA AND KEEP THE ACFT WELL APART FROM ONE ANOTHER. WE SPENT ABOUT 3-5 MINS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SHOULD BE TAKING PLACE. THE DISPATCHER THEN ADVISED ME TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. HE TOLD ME TO FLY HDG 060 DEGS AND ADVISE WHEN I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AFTER INFORMING THE DISPATCHER I HAD ARPT IN SIGHT; I CHANGED FREQS AND LANDED THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.