Narrative:

Contacted flg ground control on 121.9 and requested to taxi to active. Flg ground control approved taxi to runway 21 for departure. I taxied to run-up area and performed run-up and pretkof checklist, then taxied to threshold, at which time I noticed 3 men and a car surveying approximately 25 yds north of runway 21 (1 man had a hand-held radio). I contacted pulliam tower on 120.0 for clearance for takeoff and received no reply. I then again attempted to contact the tower and still no response. Not knowing if the tower was in operation and/or whether they had transmission problems, I looked to see if anyone was visible or if there was a light. Not seeing either and knowing that my radios were operating, since I previously had spoken to ground, I assumed the airport was uncontrolled at that point. I then radioed my aircraft position and my intentions, and then taxied into position. I then began my takeoff roll. It was at this time someone came on the air 120.0, requesting the # of the aircraft taking off. As I was rolling and nearing rotation, the individual called and idented themselves as the tower and that they had tried to contact me. I responded and stated that I had tried twice to make contact with the tower. I then stated that 'it was a unicom,' since if pulliam was uncontrolled, which it is after 2100 hours daily, I assumed since there was no communication either by radio/light, that pulliam at that time was uncontrolled. He stated that, 'no it wasn't...you will be hearing from us.' I feel that contributing factors to this incident are: 1) 1 individual is responsible for both ground and tower responsibilities at flg, pulliam, and thus may be unable to operate efficiently both ground and airborne traffic. 2) there was no use of any other method to notify a pilot not to takeoff, such as a light.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TOOK OFF FLG WITHOUT CLRNC FROM TWR CTLR.

Narrative: CONTACTED FLG GND CTL ON 121.9 AND REQUESTED TO TAXI TO ACTIVE. FLG GND CTL APPROVED TAXI TO RWY 21 FOR DEP. I TAXIED TO RUN-UP AREA AND PERFORMED RUN-UP AND PRETKOF CHKLIST, THEN TAXIED TO THRESHOLD, AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED 3 MEN AND A CAR SURVEYING APPROX 25 YDS N OF RWY 21 (1 MAN HAD A HAND-HELD RADIO). I CONTACTED PULLIAM TWR ON 120.0 FOR CLRNC FOR TKOF AND RECEIVED NO REPLY. I THEN AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE TWR AND STILL NO RESPONSE. NOT KNOWING IF THE TWR WAS IN OPERATION AND/OR WHETHER THEY HAD XMISSION PROBS, I LOOKED TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS VISIBLE OR IF THERE WAS A LIGHT. NOT SEEING EITHER AND KNOWING THAT MY RADIOS WERE OPERATING, SINCE I PREVIOUSLY HAD SPOKEN TO GND, I ASSUMED THE ARPT WAS UNCONTROLLED AT THAT POINT. I THEN RADIOED MY ACFT POS AND MY INTENTIONS, AND THEN TAXIED INTO POS. I THEN BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL. IT WAS AT THIS TIME SOMEONE CAME ON THE AIR 120.0, REQUESTING THE # OF THE ACFT TAKING OFF. AS I WAS ROLLING AND NEARING ROTATION, THE INDIVIDUAL CALLED AND IDENTED THEMSELVES AS THE TWR AND THAT THEY HAD TRIED TO CONTACT ME. I RESPONDED AND STATED THAT I HAD TRIED TWICE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE TWR. I THEN STATED THAT 'IT WAS A UNICOM,' SINCE IF PULLIAM WAS UNCONTROLLED, WHICH IT IS AFTER 2100 HRS DAILY, I ASSUMED SINCE THERE WAS NO COM EITHER BY RADIO/LIGHT, THAT PULLIAM AT THAT TIME WAS UNCONTROLLED. HE STATED THAT, 'NO IT WASN'T...YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM US.' I FEEL THAT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT ARE: 1) 1 INDIVIDUAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH GND AND TWR RESPONSIBILITIES AT FLG, PULLIAM, AND THUS MAY BE UNABLE TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY BOTH GND AND AIRBORNE TFC. 2) THERE WAS NO USE OF ANY OTHER METHOD TO NOTIFY A PLT NOT TO TKOF, SUCH AS A LIGHT.

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.