Narrative:

Departed hana airport on regularly scheduled flight. Heavy rain north and northwest. Prior to entering IMC attempted to contact ZHN through 2000', but still too low. Then again VFR at 3500' made another attempt. Center told me contact maui approach 119.5 with squelch off no audio, squelch up, one extremely busy approach controller. His hands were full with sequencing of arrs to kahului airport which was, at the time, IFR and everyone was IMC and on the approach (ILS for 2, VOR for 3 or 2). My original request with center was for an IFR clearance V11 ogg V24 lny 5000. I was asked to call approach, as I say, and for approximately 4 mins there was not 1 break in communications between approach (119.5) and aircraft in his sector. Then, when I got through to him, he was extremely helpful, handled my request and we picked up our IFR squawk and entered IMC. By the time we were established on the arwy, as we leveled at 5000', we broke out VMC, we had our next VFR landmark in sight. So, to reduce controller workload, we reported VFR/VMC, cancelled IFR, and stayed on squawk for advisories. I wish that in IMC with IFR in effect that the 2 approach and departure frequencys to be used more effectively or additional frequencys be added under IFR conditions. And, I'm not exactly sure why center (I know I was in his airspace) had me wait and wait, then told me to contact approach, other than he saw our 1200 squawk and was waiting till we crossed his border to approach. If that was the case, I wish he could have (no matter how close to border of his sector we were) at least given us a squawk and cleared us to an intersection or fix in our direction of flight to at least proceed and have the use of the IFR system, which for me, 95% of the time, is terrific. I myself have always believed in self-improvement and I think ATC feels the same way.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT ENCOUNTERED WX ON CLIMB, BECAME VFR IN IMC. UNABLE TO GET CLRNC FROM ARTCC.

Narrative: DEPARTED HANA ARPT ON REGULARLY SCHEDULED FLT. HVY RAIN N AND NW. PRIOR TO ENTERING IMC ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZHN THROUGH 2000', BUT STILL TOO LOW. THEN AGAIN VFR AT 3500' MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT. CENTER TOLD ME CONTACT MAUI APCH 119.5 WITH SQUELCH OFF NO AUDIO, SQUELCH UP, ONE EXTREMELY BUSY APCH CTLR. HIS HANDS WERE FULL WITH SEQUENCING OF ARRS TO KAHULUI ARPT WHICH WAS, AT THE TIME, IFR AND EVERYONE WAS IMC AND ON THE APCH (ILS FOR 2, VOR FOR 3 OR 2). MY ORIGINAL REQUEST WITH CENTER WAS FOR AN IFR CLRNC V11 OGG V24 LNY 5000. I WAS ASKED TO CALL APCH, AS I SAY, AND FOR APPROX 4 MINS THERE WAS NOT 1 BREAK IN COMS BTWN APCH (119.5) AND ACFT IN HIS SECTOR. THEN, WHEN I GOT THROUGH TO HIM, HE WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, HANDLED MY REQUEST AND WE PICKED UP OUR IFR SQUAWK AND ENTERED IMC. BY THE TIME WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE ARWY, AS WE LEVELED AT 5000', WE BROKE OUT VMC, WE HAD OUR NEXT VFR LANDMARK IN SIGHT. SO, TO REDUCE CTLR WORKLOAD, WE RPTED VFR/VMC, CANCELLED IFR, AND STAYED ON SQUAWK FOR ADVISORIES. I WISH THAT IN IMC WITH IFR IN EFFECT THAT THE 2 APCH AND DEP FREQS TO BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY OR ADDITIONAL FREQS BE ADDED UNDER IFR CONDITIONS. AND, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHY CENTER (I KNOW I WAS IN HIS AIRSPACE) HAD ME WAIT AND WAIT, THEN TOLD ME TO CONTACT APCH, OTHER THAN HE SAW OUR 1200 SQUAWK AND WAS WAITING TILL WE CROSSED HIS BORDER TO APCH. IF THAT WAS THE CASE, I WISH HE COULD HAVE (NO MATTER HOW CLOSE TO BORDER OF HIS SECTOR WE WERE) AT LEAST GIVEN US A SQUAWK AND CLRED US TO AN INTXN OR FIX IN OUR DIRECTION OF FLT TO AT LEAST PROCEED AND HAVE THE USE OF THE IFR SYS, WHICH FOR ME, 95% OF THE TIME, IS TERRIFIC. I MYSELF HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND I THINK ATC FEELS THE SAME WAY.

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.