Air carrier takes off while transmitting on departure frequency.

Attributes
ACN	180964
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	180964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

About 2000 ' prior to takeoff end of runway 36L at tampa, ground control issued takeoff clearance west/O any input from my flight. I was monitoring the radio while the first officer was off frequency dealing with company concerning weight and balance. (The ACARS printer normally used for weight and balance had been misloaded with paper and he had not received proper training to correct it, so he was off frequency). When the first officer 'returned' with weight and balance information, I informed him that we had been cleared for takeoff. We completed the takeoff checklist, turned the corner and took off. (This was the first officer's leg). As we were taking the runway, I reached down and 'flipped the switch on the radio control panel to tower frequency (I thought!) and entered departure control frequency in the other side. Takeoff was normal. As we started the takeoff roll, I transmitted 'flight number rolling on runway 36L' (it had been about a min since being cleared). An ATC type voice replied a questioning type remark (exact words unknown). Now at about 50-60 KTS, I repeated, 'flight number rolling on runway 36L.' the same voice said something like 'ok'. This didn't seem exactly right but I interpreted the remark to mean: I can see that, why are you telling me? There was no call from tower to switch to departure control. I called twice and asked if the tower was ready for me to switch to departure control. (First transmission unanswered). Finally the 'voice' said 'you're on tampa approach control (118.15), switch to departure control on 118.8.' problem solved. From the time I 'flipped the switch' until I solved the problem, I was not in contact with tower, very serious. Recommendations: pilots should verify frequencys, the one on the other side of ground control may not always be tower. ATC should not transmit takeoff clearance on ground control or transmit simultaneously on multiple frequencys. ATC should clear up xmissions that don't make sense at once. Something is wrong when that happens, right? I'm very happy that another airplane did not cross my takeoff runway or takeoff flight path while I was 'off frequency.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TAKES OFF WHILE TRANSMITTING ON DEP FREQ.

Narrative: ABOUT 2000 ' PRIOR TO TKOF END OF RWY 36L AT TAMPA, GND CTL ISSUED TKOF CLRNC W/O ANY INPUT FROM MY FLT. I WAS MONITORING THE RADIO WHILE THE F/O WAS OFF FREQ DEALING WITH COMPANY CONCERNING WEIGHT AND BALANCE. (THE ACARS PRINTER NORMALLY USED FOR WEIGHT AND BALANCE HAD BEEN MISLOADED WITH PAPER AND HE HAD NOT RECEIVED PROPER TRNING TO CORRECT IT, SO HE WAS OFF FREQ). WHEN THE F/O 'RETURNED' WITH WEIGHT AND BALANCE INFO, I INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED THE TKOF CHKLIST, TURNED THE CORNER AND TOOK OFF. (THIS WAS THE F/O'S LEG). AS WE WERE TAKING THE RWY, I REACHED DOWN AND 'FLIPPED THE SWITCH ON THE RADIO CTL PANEL TO TWR FREQ (I THOUGHT!) AND ENTERED DEP CTL FREQ IN THE OTHER SIDE. TKOF WAS NORMAL. AS WE STARTED THE TKOF ROLL, I XMITTED 'FLT NUMBER ROLLING ON RWY 36L' (IT HAD BEEN ABOUT A MIN SINCE BEING CLRED). AN ATC TYPE VOICE REPLIED A QUESTIONING TYPE REMARK (EXACT WORDS UNKNOWN). NOW AT ABOUT 50-60 KTS, I REPEATED, 'FLT NUMBER ROLLING ON RWY 36L.' THE SAME VOICE SAID SOMETHING LIKE 'OK'. THIS DIDN'T SEEM EXACTLY RIGHT BUT I INTERPRETED THE REMARK TO MEAN: I CAN SEE THAT, WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME? THERE WAS NO CALL FROM TWR TO SWITCH TO DEP CTL. I CALLED TWICE AND ASKED IF THE TWR WAS READY FOR ME TO SWITCH TO DEP CTL. (FIRST XMISSION UNANSWERED). FINALLY THE 'VOICE' SAID 'YOU'RE ON TAMPA APCH CTL (118.15), SWITCH TO DEP CTL ON 118.8.' PROB SOLVED. FROM THE TIME I 'FLIPPED THE SWITCH' UNTIL I SOLVED THE PROB, I WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH TWR, VERY SERIOUS. RECOMMENDATIONS: PLTS SHOULD VERIFY FREQS, THE ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GND CTL MAY NOT ALWAYS BE TWR. ATC SHOULD NOT XMIT TKOF CLRNC ON GND CTL OR XMIT SIMULTANEOUSLY ON MULTIPLE FREQS. ATC SHOULD CLR UP XMISSIONS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE AT ONCE. SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN THAT HAPPENS, RIGHT? I'M VERY HAPPY THAT ANOTHER AIRPLANE DID NOT CROSS MY TKOF RWY OR TKOF FLT PATH WHILE I WAS 'OFF FREQ.'

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.