Commuter flight crew departs without takeoff clearance.

Attributes
ACN	175603
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hou
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	175603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 2450 flight time type : 805
ASRS Report	175801
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were approaching the end of runway 5L in rdu when the controller stated, 'cleared for takeoff.' I responded with, 'negative, we're not ready.' he then said, 'cancel takeoff clearance. Hold short.' then 1 min later I called ready. Then I understood cleared for takeoff runway heading. I responded only with, 'roger.' what he said was, 'taxi into position and hold, crossing traffic.' we held in position for 30 seconds to complete our last first flight check, then began our takeoff roll. Everything seemed normal until we reached phf when I was told to contact norfolk approach, which told me to contact rdu tower. I spoke to an rdu approach controller. He asked me if I knew that we took off west/O a takeoff clearance I stated, 'negative.' he said that the tapes indicated that I never received a takeoff clearance. He also stated that by the time the controller saw the traffic clear in front of us, he looked down and saw us passing B3 intersection on 5L. He said because the WX was IFR, he didn't want to worry us with an abort takeoff clearance. We still had more than 6000+' of runway available to stop. I wish he had advised us of the situation. He said the FSDO would be advised. Then I hung up the phone and we returned to rdu on schedule.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT CREW DEPARTS WITHOUT TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE APCHING THE END OF RWY 5L IN RDU WHEN THE CTLR STATED, 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' I RESPONDED WITH, 'NEGATIVE, WE'RE NOT READY.' HE THEN SAID, 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. HOLD SHORT.' THEN 1 MIN LATER I CALLED READY. THEN I UNDERSTOOD CLRED FOR TKOF RWY HDG. I RESPONDED ONLY WITH, 'ROGER.' WHAT HE SAID WAS, 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD, XING TFC.' WE HELD IN POS FOR 30 SECS TO COMPLETE OUR LAST FIRST FLT CHK, THEN BEGAN OUR TKOF ROLL. EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL WE REACHED PHF WHEN I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT NORFOLK APCH, WHICH TOLD ME TO CONTACT RDU TWR. I SPOKE TO AN RDU APCH CTLR. HE ASKED ME IF I KNEW THAT WE TOOK OFF W/O A TKOF CLRNC I STATED, 'NEGATIVE.' HE SAID THAT THE TAPES INDICATED THAT I NEVER RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC. HE ALSO STATED THAT BY THE TIME THE CTLR SAW THE TFC CLR IN FRONT OF US, HE LOOKED DOWN AND SAW US PASSING B3 INTXN ON 5L. HE SAID BECAUSE THE WX WAS IFR, HE DIDN'T WANT TO WORRY US WITH AN ABORT TKOF CLRNC. WE STILL HAD MORE THAN 6000+' OF RWY AVAILABLE TO STOP. I WISH HE HAD ADVISED US OF THE SITUATION. HE SAID THE FSDO WOULD BE ADVISED. THEN I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND WE RETURNED TO RDU ON SCHEDULE.

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.