Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan and received a weather briefing from flight service. I tried to receive my IFR clearance on the frequency listed on the approach plate for st. Charles municipal airport (3SQ); which was listed as 120.15. Nobody answered on the frequency after several attempts to make contact. I then called flight service on the phone to receive my IFR clearance and was successful in obtaining my clearance. During the clearance request; I was asked which runway I will be departing from. I responded that I will be departing from runway 9. This was incorrectly stated by myself. The traffic flow was departing/arriving on runway 27 at 3SQ. I proceeded to taxi and complete my engine run-up and readied myself for departure. I departed runway 27 from 3SQ. The takeoff proceeded normally and I contacted departure control during the climbout; still in VFR conditions. When I contacted departure control; they asked me which runway I departed from; and I responded that I departed from runway 27. The controller informed me that my clearance was to depart from runway 9; and that I need to stay with the runway that I requested in my original clearance request. The rest of the flight went uneventful. I practiced 4 additional instrument approaches before I returned to 3SQ. The runway markings at 3SQ are almost nonexistent. Controllers monitoring the frequency for clearance delivery as published would be helpful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A light plane pilot took off from 3SQ on a runway he was not cleared to depart from. The reporter alleges the airport runway markings are 'almost nonexistent.'

Narrative: I filed an IFR flight plan and received a weather briefing from Flight Service. I tried to receive my IFR clearance on the frequency listed on the approach plate for St. Charles Municipal Airport (3SQ); which was listed as 120.15. Nobody answered on the frequency after several attempts to make contact. I then called Flight Service on the phone to receive my IFR clearance and was successful in obtaining my clearance. During the clearance request; I was asked which runway I will be departing from. I responded that I will be departing from Runway 9. This was incorrectly stated by myself. The traffic flow was departing/arriving on Runway 27 at 3SQ. I proceeded to taxi and complete my engine run-up and readied myself for departure. I departed Runway 27 from 3SQ. The takeoff proceeded normally and I contacted departure control during the climbout; still in VFR conditions. When I contacted departure control; they asked me which runway I departed from; and I responded that I departed from Runway 27. The Controller informed me that my clearance was to depart from Runway 9; and that I need to stay with the runway that I requested in my original clearance request. The rest of the flight went uneventful. I practiced 4 additional instrument approaches before I returned to 3SQ. The runway markings at 3SQ are almost nonexistent. Controllers monitoring the frequency for clearance delivery as published would be helpful.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.