Flight crew of an atx small transport took off with no clearance.

Attributes
ACN	301789
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	301789
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

To the best of my knowledge I was cleared for takeoff on runway 19L at mccarren after position and hold. I advanced the power and rotated at vr. Upon climbing out of the tower said departing traffic runway 25R caution wake turbulence as was nothing new. I looked to my left then to my right and saw a jet well above and to the right of me. Then the tower said contact departure. As the day ended the director of operations called me into his office. I was informed the tower had called and said I took off with no clearance. I would not have willingly done that. It was busy and there were a lot of blocked calls and backgnd noise on the frequency. If there was a pilot deviation on my part I believe the tower should have aborted my takeoff. This incident was not a close call, however, if I misunderstood the tower for another plane they did not say anything to me at the time nor did they tell me to call the tower. 2 hours later I took a drug test, gave a full report to my boss and sent this form in, I have never used one before. I only hope my career and job are not at stake. In the future I have to say again please if there is the slightest doubt of what was said. I have been flying for 15 yrs and know how things get on the radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ATX SMT TOOK OFF WITH NO CLRNC.

Narrative: TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 19L AT MCCARREN AFTER POS AND HOLD. I ADVANCED THE PWR AND ROTATED AT VR. UPON CLBING OUT OF THE TWR SAID DEPARTING TFC RWY 25R CAUTION WAKE TURB AS WAS NOTHING NEW. I LOOKED TO MY L THEN TO MY R AND SAW A JET WELL ABOVE AND TO THE R OF ME. THEN THE TWR SAID CONTACT DEP. AS THE DAY ENDED THE DIRECTOR OF OPS CALLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE. I WAS INFORMED THE TWR HAD CALLED AND SAID I TOOK OFF WITH NO CLRNC. I WOULD NOT HAVE WILLINGLY DONE THAT. IT WAS BUSY AND THERE WERE A LOT OF BLOCKED CALLS AND BACKGND NOISE ON THE FREQ. IF THERE WAS A PLT DEV ON MY PART I BELIEVE THE TWR SHOULD HAVE ABORTED MY TKOF. THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT A CLOSE CALL, HOWEVER, IF I MISUNDERSTOOD THE TWR FOR ANOTHER PLANE THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME AT THE TIME NOR DID THEY TELL ME TO CALL THE TWR. 2 HRS LATER I TOOK A DRUG TEST, GAVE A FULL RPT TO MY BOSS AND SENT THIS FORM IN, I HAVE NEVER USED ONE BEFORE. I ONLY HOPE MY CAREER AND JOB ARE NOT AT STAKE. IN THE FUTURE I HAVE TO SAY AGAIN PLEASE IF THERE IS THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT OF WHAT WAS SAID. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 15 YRS AND KNOW HOW THINGS GET ON THE RADIO.

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.