AN SMA PLT ACCEPTED AN ARSA DEP CLRNC WHEN HE EXPECTED A FULL IFR ROUTING.

Date: 1993-09 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear

Anomalies: other-unspecified

Synopsis

AN SMA PLT ACCEPTED AN ARSA DEP CLRNC WHEN HE EXPECTED A FULL IFR ROUTING.

Narrative

I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM RNO ARPT TO OGDEN; UT. WHEN CALLING FOR CLRNC; I ADVISED 'NX IFR; OGDEN; UT; READ TO COPY CLRNC.' I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DEPART RWY 25; R DOWNWIND DEP VFR; THEN PROCEED ON COURSE. I THOUGHT THIS A RATHER ODD IFR CLRNC; BUT ACCEPTED THIS AS NORMAL PROC. I DEPARTED IN A NORMAL FASHION; WX WAS CLR. WHEN I WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE FIRST LEG; ATC ADVISED ME LEAVING THEIR AIRSPACE 'SQUAWK 1200; FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' I WAS RATHER SURPRISED TO HEAR THE OFFICIAL BUZZ WORD FOR LEAVING AN ARSA. I HAD FILED IFR AND ASSUMED ALL ALONG THAT THIS FLT WAS OPERATING UNDER IFR RULES. I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS IFR AND WAS THEN LECTURED ABOUT THE CLRNC. TECHNICALLY; ATC WAS CORRECT; BUT I WAS THE VICTIM OF A MISCOM AND FELT LIKE A CON ARTIST VICTIM. THE CTLR MADE A COMMENT THAT 'THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.' IT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. WHEN A PLT FILES IFR; HE EXPECTS TO GET SUCH A CLRNC. THE CLRNC OUT OF AN ARSA VFR IS QUITE SIMILAR; AND ONE CAN EASILY ASSUME INCORRECTLY THAT THIS WAS THE IFR CLRNC ANTICIPATED. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE: ATC SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO ISSUE A VFR CLRNC TO PLTS THAT HAVE FILED IFR UNLESS BY PLT REQUEST.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.