Narrative:

I was preparing a beginning instrument student for a simulated '0-0' instrument takeoff. Tower controller cleared us to taxi into position on runway 3 and hold for landing traffic on runway 8 that would hold short of runway 3. As I remember, I was cleared for takeoff. I checked for traffic noting the landing traffic rolling slowly on runway 8, and I told my student to lower his hood and start the takeoff. Controller alleges that I was airborne when he cleared me for takeoff. At this writing, I'm not sure when I was cleared for takeoff, or whether I told my student to take off, or if he just did it. I think cockpit distraction (teaching a procedure new to me as a new instrument instrument) and expecting the takeoff clearance after observing the traffic rolling slowly down runway 8 could be factors causing this confusion. It is certainly the pilot's responsibility to adhere to clrncs; however, aviation safety is a team effort involving pilots and controllers. A competent, vigilant controller will watch his traffic--there were only 2 or 3 aircraft in the area at the time--to assure that they are holding short, in position, or performing the requested maneuver; as surely as competent, vigilant pilots adhere to clrncs. That is why windows are installed int he tower. If the controller was watching, and he had not cleared me for takeoff, he could have stopped me and prevented this confusion. Pilots are humans, just like controllers. We all need to look out for each other as teammates, instead of pointing fingers and watching the other guy take a fall. We have a common goal, and that should be safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCOORD UNAUTH TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS PREPARING A BEGINNING INSTRUMENT STUDENT FOR A SIMULATED '0-0' INSTRUMENT TKOF. TWR CTLR CLRED US TO TAXI INTO POS ON RWY 3 AND HOLD FOR LNDG TFC ON RWY 8 THAT WOULD HOLD SHORT OF RWY 3. AS I REMEMBER, I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. I CHKED FOR TFC NOTING THE LNDG TFC ROLLING SLOWLY ON RWY 8, AND I TOLD MY STUDENT TO LOWER HIS HOOD AND START THE TKOF. CTLR ALLEGES THAT I WAS AIRBORNE WHEN HE CLRED ME FOR TKOF. AT THIS WRITING, I'M NOT SURE WHEN I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, OR WHETHER I TOLD MY STUDENT TO TAKE OFF, OR IF HE JUST DID IT. I THINK COCKPIT DISTR (TEACHING A PROC NEW TO ME AS A NEW INSTRUMENT INSTR) AND EXPECTING THE TKOF CLRNC AFTER OBSERVING THE TFC ROLLING SLOWLY DOWN RWY 8 COULD BE FACTORS CAUSING THIS CONFUSION. IT IS CERTAINLY THE PLT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ADHERE TO CLRNCS; HOWEVER, AVIATION SAFETY IS A TEAM EFFORT INVOLVING PLTS AND CTLRS. A COMPETENT, VIGILANT CTLR WILL WATCH HIS TFC--THERE WERE ONLY 2 OR 3 ACFT IN THE AREA AT THE TIME--TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE HOLDING SHORT, IN POS, OR PERFORMING THE REQUESTED MANEUVER; AS SURELY AS COMPETENT, VIGILANT PLTS ADHERE TO CLRNCS. THAT IS WHY WINDOWS ARE INSTALLED INT HE TWR. IF THE CTLR WAS WATCHING, AND HE HAD NOT CLRED ME FOR TKOF, HE COULD HAVE STOPPED ME AND PREVENTED THIS CONFUSION. PLTS ARE HUMANS, JUST LIKE CTLRS. WE ALL NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER AS TEAMMATES, INSTEAD OF POINTING FINGERS AND WATCHING THE OTHER GUY TAKE A FALL. WE HAVE A COMMON GOAL, AND THAT SHOULD BE SAFETY.

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.