Narrative:

After 20+ yrs as a professional aviator (military/corporate/part 121), it finally happened. We departed gate for a short taxi to the active runway. We had completed all checklists and briefings. As we approached the runway my first officer announced on unicom that we were departing runway 14. I had not heard him call passenger river for release, so I asked him if we were released and he responded 'yes, we were with a climb to 4000 ft MSL.' I looked down at the radios, feeling a little uncomfortable about not hearing the call and release and made the rash assumption the call had been made on #2 radio while taxiing, I was monitoring #1 radio. This happens about 30-35% of our departures from uncontrolled airports as we monitor the local frequency for traffic calls. All went normally on departure until the first officer called passenger river climbing out of about 1500 ft MSL for 4000 ft. The controller asked if we had departed VFR. At that instant I knew something was not right. The first officer understood that we were released with our clearance, in fact we were not released. To complicate matters another DH8 was over the field IAF at 2000 ft MSL starting the VOR approach. Fortunately for us we were headed southeast turning northwest and they were heading southwest. We stopped our climb and headed north while the situation was sorted out. My first officer was advised that clearance could not release us while approach control owned the airspace and not to do that again. Solution: a standardized procedure where all ATC clrncs are monitored by both pilots, all of the time. My motto from now on: if it doesn't feel right -- stop and be more clear in my communicating my concern. 'I did not hear the release -- please confirm it.' contributing factors: 4-8 flts per day/average 16 days/month. Pressure to do everything possible to maintain schedule. Variations in clearance and release procedures depending on time of day. Trusting the other guy -- assuming all is well just on his say so. Supplemental information from acn 384450: ATC clearance was obtained with instructions to hold for release. Short taxi was made to sby runway 14, captain asked if we were released. I (first officer) mistakenly thought we had been and answered 'yes,' announced our takeoff on unicom, and departed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DH8 FLC DEPARTED A NON TWR ARPT WITHOUT A RELEASE. THE DEP CTLR WAS RATHER STERN WITH THEM.

Narrative: AFTER 20+ YRS AS A PROFESSIONAL AVIATOR (MIL/CORPORATE/PART 121), IT FINALLY HAPPENED. WE DEPARTED GATE FOR A SHORT TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY. WE HAD COMPLETED ALL CHKLISTS AND BRIEFINGS. AS WE APCHED THE RWY MY FO ANNOUNCED ON UNICOM THAT WE WERE DEPARTING RWY 14. I HAD NOT HEARD HIM CALL PAX RIVER FOR RELEASE, SO I ASKED HIM IF WE WERE RELEASED AND HE RESPONDED 'YES, WE WERE WITH A CLB TO 4000 FT MSL.' I LOOKED DOWN AT THE RADIOS, FEELING A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT NOT HEARING THE CALL AND RELEASE AND MADE THE RASH ASSUMPTION THE CALL HAD BEEN MADE ON #2 RADIO WHILE TAXIING, I WAS MONITORING #1 RADIO. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 30-35% OF OUR DEPS FROM UNCTLED ARPTS AS WE MONITOR THE LCL FREQ FOR TFC CALLS. ALL WENT NORMALLY ON DEP UNTIL THE FO CALLED PAX RIVER CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 1500 FT MSL FOR 4000 FT. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD DEPARTED VFR. AT THAT INSTANT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. THE FO UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE RELEASED WITH OUR CLRNC, IN FACT WE WERE NOT RELEASED. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS ANOTHER DH8 WAS OVER THE FIELD IAF AT 2000 FT MSL STARTING THE VOR APCH. FORTUNATELY FOR US WE WERE HEADED SE TURNING NW AND THEY WERE HEADING SW. WE STOPPED OUR CLB AND HEADED N WHILE THE SIT WAS SORTED OUT. MY FO WAS ADVISED THAT CLRNC COULD NOT RELEASE US WHILE APCH CTL OWNED THE AIRSPACE AND NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN. SOLUTION: A STANDARDIZED PROC WHERE ALL ATC CLRNCS ARE MONITORED BY BOTH PLTS, ALL OF THE TIME. MY MOTTO FROM NOW ON: IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT -- STOP AND BE MORE CLR IN MY COMMUNICATING MY CONCERN. 'I DID NOT HEAR THE RELEASE -- PLEASE CONFIRM IT.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 4-8 FLTS PER DAY/AVERAGE 16 DAYS/MONTH. PRESSURE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN SCHEDULE. VARIATIONS IN CLRNC AND RELEASE PROCS DEPENDING ON TIME OF DAY. TRUSTING THE OTHER GUY -- ASSUMING ALL IS WELL JUST ON HIS SAY SO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 384450: ATC CLRNC WAS OBTAINED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD FOR RELEASE. SHORT TAXI WAS MADE TO SBY RWY 14, CAPT ASKED IF WE WERE RELEASED. I (FO) MISTAKENLY THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN AND ANSWERED 'YES,' ANNOUNCED OUR TKOF ON UNICOM, AND DEPARTED.

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.