MD80S aircraft waiting taxi instructions with congested ground control frequency. Captain became imp...

Attributes
ACN	370470
Time
Date	199706
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
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	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	370470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	370562
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were holding on ramp xx at ewr. The captain and I were told we were #6 for taxi. Ewr ground frequency was extremely busy and we had been having a difficult time getting a response from them (pushback, taxi). The captain took control of the radios as he became impatient with ewr ground control's ability to allow us to taxi in the proper sequence. He attempted 3-4 times to call ewr ground to confirm our taxi sequence. Once again, the frequency was extremely saturated and the captain received no response. At that point the captain began a taxi to runway 4L from ramp xx while simultaneously transmitting to ewr ground that he was assuming they were NORDO and that he was going to join behind a B737. Ground instructed us to hold on ramp xx. The captain responded that we had already taxied 50 yards past ramp xx and was requesting further instructions. We were eventually sequenced in for takeoff. As the first officer I failed to inform the captain that I felt the aircraft was being handled improperly (part I, section 3, page 3). Although he was talking on the radios as we were taxiing, I could have given hand gestures or even verbal cues.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S ACFT WAITING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WITH CONGESTED GND CTL FREQ. CAPT BECAME IMPATIENT WHEN UNABLE TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI CONTRARY TO CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING ON RAMP XX AT EWR. THE CAPT AND I WERE TOLD WE WERE #6 FOR TAXI. EWR GND FREQ WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND WE HAD BEEN HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING A RESPONSE FROM THEM (PUSHBACK, TAXI). THE CAPT TOOK CTL OF THE RADIOS AS HE BECAME IMPATIENT WITH EWR GND CTL'S ABILITY TO ALLOW US TO TAXI IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE. HE ATTEMPTED 3-4 TIMES TO CALL EWR GND TO CONFIRM OUR TAXI SEQUENCE. ONCE AGAIN, THE FREQ WAS EXTREMELY SATURATED AND THE CAPT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AT THAT POINT THE CAPT BEGAN A TAXI TO RWY 4L FROM RAMP XX WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY XMITTING TO EWR GND THAT HE WAS ASSUMING THEY WERE NORDO AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO JOIN BEHIND A B737. GND INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD ON RAMP XX. THE CAPT RESPONDED THAT WE HAD ALREADY TAXIED 50 YARDS PAST RAMP XX AND WAS REQUESTING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE EVENTUALLY SEQUENCED IN FOR TKOF. AS THE FO I FAILED TO INFORM THE CAPT THAT I FELT THE ACFT WAS BEING HANDLED IMPROPERLY (PART I, SECTION 3, PAGE 3). ALTHOUGH HE WAS TALKING ON THE RADIOS AS WE WERE TAXIING, I COULD HAVE GIVEN HAND GESTURES OR EVEN VERBAL CUES.

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.

MD80S aircraft waiting taxi instructions with congested ground control frequency. Captain became impatient when unable to make radio contact and proceeded to taxi contrary to clearance.