Flight crew of large transport took off uncontrolled airport without clearance from ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	136349
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdn
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	136349
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	137020
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZDV said if we were ready, to call when taxiing out for takeoff. Then ZDV asked another company flight that was holding at VOR above clouds if it was ok that we take off before his approach. He said 'yes, that's ok.' we then called ZDV to advise that we would be taxiing out. This is the normal time to receive en route clearance, so the F/east was asked to monitor the frequency while the copilot used unicom frequency to advise airport of our intentions (takeoff). I taxied to end of runway for takeoff during this time. I asked if everything was ready, receiving affirmative. We took off and airborne called ZDV for clearance. The controller said, 'you don't have a clearance!' we said 'that's true, we will maintain VFR.' the controller gave us our clearance and off we went. I later found out that controller had tried to call us several times. It was then discovered that F/east had been monitoring the wrong frequency, and therefore had not heard ZDV. Having no radio contact with us, ZDV had cleared the holding aircraft for approach. This could have created a conflict. Monitoring crew and radios can be full time job. Moral: stay awake and take time to complete duties before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT TOOK OFF UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC FROM ARTCC.

Narrative: ZDV SAID IF WE WERE READY, TO CALL WHEN TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF. THEN ZDV ASKED ANOTHER COMPANY FLT THAT WAS HOLDING AT VOR ABOVE CLOUDS IF IT WAS OK THAT WE TAKE OFF BEFORE HIS APCH. HE SAID 'YES, THAT'S OK.' WE THEN CALLED ZDV TO ADVISE THAT WE WOULD BE TAXIING OUT. THIS IS THE NORMAL TIME TO RECEIVE ENRTE CLRNC, SO THE F/E WAS ASKED TO MONITOR THE FREQ WHILE THE COPLT USED UNICOM FREQ TO ADVISE ARPT OF OUR INTENTIONS (TKOF). I TAXIED TO END OF RWY FOR TKOF DURING THIS TIME. I ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS READY, RECEIVING AFFIRMATIVE. WE TOOK OFF AND AIRBORNE CALLED ZDV FOR CLRNC. THE CTLR SAID, 'YOU DON'T HAVE A CLRNC!' WE SAID 'THAT'S TRUE, WE WILL MAINTAIN VFR.' THE CTLR GAVE US OUR CLRNC AND OFF WE WENT. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT CTLR HAD TRIED TO CALL US SEVERAL TIMES. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT F/E HAD BEEN MONITORING THE WRONG FREQ, AND THEREFORE HAD NOT HEARD ZDV. HAVING NO RADIO CONTACT WITH US, ZDV HAD CLRED THE HOLDING ACFT FOR APCH. THIS COULD HAVE CREATED A CONFLICT. MONITORING CREW AND RADIOS CAN BE FULL TIME JOB. MORAL: STAY AWAKE AND TAKE TIME TO COMPLETE DUTIES BEFORE TKOF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.