Narrative:

Taxiing out for takeoff we requested runway 33L for departure. We were cleared to cross runway 27 and told to monitor tower on the other side. After crossing the first officer switched the radios and we monitored the frequency. There was little or no traffic at the airport so we were not surprised not to near anyone. Approaching the end of the runway I suggested the first officer make the first takeoff as I had made the first one on the previous trip and it would tend to break things up. I could see there was no traffic for the runway and thinking about the first officer making the takeoff (or rather west/O really thinking at all) I began to take the active. At this point the first officer asked whether we had been cleared into position. I wasn't sure, but thought we must have been--there wasn't and hadn't been any traffic all the way out so surely we must have been, otherwise, why was I doing it?!! The first officer called for confirmation that we were 'cleared into position' and was told to contact tower. At this point he looked down and realized what had happened--crossing the runway he had switched transceiver heads and then switched that new frequency which was tower to departure. Thus we were monitoring departure. On switching to tower we were asked if we understood the restriction to maintain 3000'. We thus assumed that we had been cleared into position. When we rogered the restriction we were cleared for takeoff. I believe the basic reason for this incident was complacency on our part. We were lulled by the good WX and lack of traffic and just expected to be cleared into position. We let a minor distraction--who was going to fly, blind us to the requirement to always be sure you have clearance before taxiing onto an active runway. I think we also still had a few cobwebs in our brains as this was the first flight of the day but that is all the more reason to be extra vigilant. I am extremely humiliated by this whole thing. I consider myself an good and careful pilot and am especially cautious about clrncs. I can't believe I let this happen. Believe me, it won't happen again!!!

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB TAXIED INTO POSITION WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF WE REQUESTED RWY 33L FOR DEP. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 27 AND TOLD TO MONITOR TWR ON THE OTHER SIDE. AFTER XING THE F/O SWITCHED THE RADIOS AND WE MONITORED THE FREQ. THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO TFC AT THE ARPT SO WE WERE NOT SURPRISED NOT TO NEAR ANYONE. APCHING THE END OF THE RWY I SUGGESTED THE F/O MAKE THE FIRST TKOF AS I HAD MADE THE FIRST ONE ON THE PREVIOUS TRIP AND IT WOULD TEND TO BREAK THINGS UP. I COULD SEE THERE WAS NO TFC FOR THE RWY AND THINKING ABOUT THE F/O MAKING THE TKOF (OR RATHER W/O REALLY THINKING AT ALL) I BEGAN TO TAKE THE ACTIVE. AT THIS POINT THE F/O ASKED WHETHER WE HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS. I WASN'T SURE, BUT THOUGHT WE MUST HAVE BEEN--THERE WASN'T AND HADN'T BEEN ANY TFC ALL THE WAY OUT SO SURELY WE MUST HAVE BEEN, OTHERWISE, WHY WAS I DOING IT?!! THE F/O CALLED FOR CONFIRMATION THAT WE WERE 'CLRED INTO POS' AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. AT THIS POINT HE LOOKED DOWN AND REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED--XING THE RWY HE HAD SWITCHED TRANSCEIVER HEADS AND THEN SWITCHED THAT NEW FREQ WHICH WAS TWR TO DEP. THUS WE WERE MONITORING DEP. ON SWITCHING TO TWR WE WERE ASKED IF WE UNDERSTOOD THE RESTRICTION TO MAINTAIN 3000'. WE THUS ASSUMED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS. WHEN WE ROGERED THE RESTRICTION WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I BELIEVE THE BASIC REASON FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS COMPLACENCY ON OUR PART. WE WERE LULLED BY THE GOOD WX AND LACK OF TFC AND JUST EXPECTED TO BE CLRED INTO POS. WE LET A MINOR DISTR--WHO WAS GOING TO FLY, BLIND US TO THE REQUIREMENT TO ALWAYS BE SURE YOU HAVE CLRNC BEFORE TAXIING ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY. I THINK WE ALSO STILL HAD A FEW COBWEBS IN OUR BRAINS AS THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY BUT THAT IS ALL THE MORE REASON TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT. I AM EXTREMELY HUMILIATED BY THIS WHOLE THING. I CONSIDER MYSELF AN GOOD AND CAREFUL PLT AND AM ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS ABOUT CLRNCS. I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET THIS HAPPEN. BELIEVE ME, IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!!!

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.