Date: 201605
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: LQK.Airport, SC
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E GSP
ATC / advisory: TRACON GSP
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: I filed an IFR flight plan from LQK (Pickens Airport; South Carolina) to ZZZ. The filed flight plan route was LQK direct to SSI (Brunswick VOR) then SSI V3 to TRV (VOR) then V159 to NITNY intersection then ZZZ (once I was [airborne] my flight plan was amended to direct to PHK VOR then V437 to BRIKL Intersection then ZZZ.) I took off from Pickens in VFR weather and contacted Greer Approach on 118.8 to pick up my IFR Clearance. The frequency for Greer Approach was very scratchy and almost inaudible. I could hear 2 pilots who were on with Greer Approach on 118.8 comment that Greer Approach was barely audible. I managed to contact Greer Approach which gave me my IFR Clearance. They cleared me as filed and I was to climb and maintain 7000 feet. My IFR Clearance was direct from LQK to SSI which was through the Bulldog MOA and the Coastal MOA. I have flown this route many times before and have been cleared direct between SSI and LQK when the MOAs are not hot. Otherwise; when I get my IFR clearance; they do not clear me direct through the MOAs but give me a clearance around the MOAs which generally means I get cleared to SAV then direct to LQK. I read back my clearance to Greer Approach who indicated that my read back was correct; cleared as filed. I climbed to 7000 feet on a course of 168 degrees from Pickens Airport direct to SSI (Brunswick VOR). I was in cruise for a while and when I did not get a handoff from Greer Approach; I tried to contact them on the assigned frequency of 118.8. I could not raise them on this frequency. I did not have a prior frequency to go back to so since I knew I was in the vicinity of Augusta Approach control I contacted Augusta Approach control. They told me that Greer was trying to contact me and they switched me to Atlanta Center. Atlanta Center told me that Greer had been trying to contact me and told me I had a pilot deviation. I was not sure what the pilot deviation was; but was told the MOAs were hot and I was routed around the Coastal MOA for SAV VOR. However; I was cleared as filed on my IFR Flight plan and I flew my cleared flight plan. (Question; why would Greer Approach clear me as filed through the MOAs if they were hot?) After taking off; I contacted Greer Approach on 118.8 and I copied and read back my clearance to Greer Approach; who stated that my read back was correct; cleared as filed. (Additionally; all the flight route programs; such as FlightAware etc. have my IFR flight plan route logged in and it shows I was cleared as filed).I was on course and level at 7000 feet when I could not reach Greer Approach. As per the rules if communication is lost you fly the flight plan you were cleared for so ATC knows where you are at and what your intentions are. I believe the communications problems were from Greer Approach as noted by other pilots trying to communicate with Greer approach that morning on 118.8 they were also having communications issues with them. This is why communications were lost with Greer Approach and I did not get a handoff to the next controller. Upon noticing the lack of communication; I continued to fly my cleared IFR flight plan and attempted to contact another controller on my route. There was no pilot deviation on my part. I followed the current rules when communications are lost and flew my cleared flight plan.




Synopsis: A Part 91 flight had difficulty with clear radio communications with ATC on an IFR flight plan.