Narrative:

We called for a clearance on a flight I had filed IFR from mmu to hfd. Accustomed to waiting long periods of time for a clearance and release from mmu (even by ny area standards), I taxied as instructed and pulled to the side of the taxiway to wait. It soon appeared that my flight plan had been dumped from the computer (I had called the tower previously to ask them to hold it). A factor contributing to my mistake was the fact that I always fly IFR and have become unaccustomed to the special demands of VFR flight. After a lengthy delay, I decided to take off VFR and pick up my clearance en route. Another contributing factor then was my past experience with very long delays. While the decision to depart VFR was sound, I used poor judgement in execution. Instead of studying the chart for new circumstances, I quickly departed. Aware vaguely of the TCA limits, I sought to quickly pick up my clearance. While flying underneath the TCA, turbulence was bad, so as soon as I could find an adequate hole in the scattered layer I climbed through to 5000'. At this time I had only an IFR en route chart to look at. The workload was high (I was, at the time, establishing contact with approach), compounded by the turbulence. I thought I was by that tie clear of the TCA, but the controller informed me I was still well within it. There appeared to be no traffic conflict and nothing more was said as I picked up my clearance and continued IFR. Obviously the fault is all mine. No doubt my performance was affected by the pressure of being behind schedule for the day. As a professional pilot, I let the business of others affect the way I conduct my business. Also, the long delays at morristown led me to a hasty decision--although the decision need not have been hasty, had I been used to flying in crowded airspace VFR. INS pilots need to be reminded of and need to practice the demands of VFR flight, which are many in circumstances like this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT UNABLE TO GET IFR CLRNC DEPARTED VFR AND PENETRATED TCA.

Narrative: WE CALLED FOR A CLRNC ON A FLT I HAD FILED IFR FROM MMU TO HFD. ACCUSTOMED TO WAITING LONG PERIODS OF TIME FOR A CLRNC AND RELEASE FROM MMU (EVEN BY NY AREA STANDARDS), I TAXIED AS INSTRUCTED AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE TXWY TO WAIT. IT SOON APPEARED THAT MY FLT PLAN HAD BEEN DUMPED FROM THE COMPUTER (I HAD CALLED THE TWR PREVIOUSLY TO ASK THEM TO HOLD IT). A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO MY MISTAKE WAS THE FACT THAT I ALWAYS FLY IFR AND HAVE BECOME UNACCUSTOMED TO THE SPECIAL DEMANDS OF VFR FLT. AFTER A LENGTHY DELAY, I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF VFR AND PICK UP MY CLRNC ENRTE. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR THEN WAS MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH VERY LONG DELAYS. WHILE THE DECISION TO DEPART VFR WAS SOUND, I USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN EXECUTION. INSTEAD OF STUDYING THE CHART FOR NEW CIRCUMSTANCES, I QUICKLY DEPARTED. AWARE VAGUELY OF THE TCA LIMITS, I SOUGHT TO QUICKLY PICK UP MY CLRNC. WHILE FLYING UNDERNEATH THE TCA, TURB WAS BAD, SO AS SOON AS I COULD FIND AN ADEQUATE HOLE IN THE SCATTERED LAYER I CLBED THROUGH TO 5000'. AT THIS TIME I HAD ONLY AN IFR ENRTE CHART TO LOOK AT. THE WORKLOAD WAS HIGH (I WAS, AT THE TIME, ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH APCH), COMPOUNDED BY THE TURB. I THOUGHT I WAS BY THAT TIE CLR OF THE TCA, BUT THE CTLR INFORMED ME I WAS STILL WELL WITHIN IT. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO TFC CONFLICT AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID AS I PICKED UP MY CLRNC AND CONTINUED IFR. OBVIOUSLY THE FAULT IS ALL MINE. NO DOUBT MY PERFORMANCE WAS AFFECTED BY THE PRESSURE OF BEING BEHIND SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY. AS A PROFESSIONAL PLT, I LET THE BUSINESS OF OTHERS AFFECT THE WAY I CONDUCT MY BUSINESS. ALSO, THE LONG DELAYS AT MORRISTOWN LED ME TO A HASTY DECISION--ALTHOUGH THE DECISION NEED NOT HAVE BEEN HASTY, HAD I BEEN USED TO FLYING IN CROWDED AIRSPACE VFR. INS PLTS NEED TO BE REMINDED OF AND NEED TO PRACTICE THE DEMANDS OF VFR FLT, WHICH ARE MANY IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.