Narrative:

We had just cleared runway 28R after landing. The tower told us to join the taxiway and contact ground control. After two attempts to contact ground the controller did not respond to us. We returned to tower to make sure we were on right frequency. The tower said we were. We returned to the ground frequency and attempted to call once more. The controller would not even respond with a 'stand by.' he was busy communicating with several 'non movement' aircraft about reroutes due to severe WX in the phl area. We had spent the last hour flying around severe WX en route. It also became obvious that the controller was working 2 frequencys and that there was way too much going on for one controller to handle. We had an airplane full of people very nervous about the WX they had just flown around, and there was other WX moving towards the airport. There was a clear and unimpeded route between our position and our gate with no traffic movement, so I began to move slowly towards our gate. I directed my first officer to attempt one more contact with ground control and when he did (at least 5TH attempt) the controller shot back 'you're taxiing without a clearance.' again there was absolutely no aircraft movement anywhere near our aircraft. I have never moved an aircraft without a clearance in 30 yrs until this unique situation. I feel the controller was overloaded and stressed out. All he would have needed to do was a quick 'stand by.' he did not. After this I feel I exercised caution and judgement after evaluating the conditions around me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF MD80 ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT GND FOR TAXI CLRNC RECEIVES NO RESPONSE AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS. SINCE AREA TO GATE IS CLR HE SLOWLY TAXIES AHEAD. CTLR CHASTISES HIM FOR TAXI WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST CLRED RWY 28R AFTER LNDG. THE TWR TOLD US TO JOIN THE TXWY AND CONTACT GND CTL. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT GND THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO US. WE RETURNED TO TWR TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ON RIGHT FREQ. THE TWR SAID WE WERE. WE RETURNED TO THE GND FREQ AND ATTEMPTED TO CALL ONCE MORE. THE CTLR WOULD NOT EVEN RESPOND WITH A 'STAND BY.' HE WAS BUSY COMMUNICATING WITH SEVERAL 'NON MOVEMENT' ACFT ABOUT REROUTES DUE TO SEVERE WX IN THE PHL AREA. WE HAD SPENT THE LAST HR FLYING AROUND SEVERE WX ENRTE. IT ALSO BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS AND THAT THERE WAS WAY TOO MUCH GOING ON FOR ONE CTLR TO HANDLE. WE HAD AN AIRPLANE FULL OF PEOPLE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THE WX THEY HAD JUST FLOWN AROUND, AND THERE WAS OTHER WX MOVING TOWARDS THE ARPT. THERE WAS A CLR AND UNIMPEDED RTE BTWN OUR POS AND OUR GATE WITH NO TFC MOVEMENT, SO I BEGAN TO MOVE SLOWLY TOWARDS OUR GATE. I DIRECTED MY FO TO ATTEMPT ONE MORE CONTACT WITH GND CTL AND WHEN HE DID (AT LEAST 5TH ATTEMPT) THE CTLR SHOT BACK 'YOU'RE TAXIING WITHOUT A CLRNC.' AGAIN THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ACFT MOVEMENT ANYWHERE NEAR OUR ACFT. I HAVE NEVER MOVED AN ACFT WITHOUT A CLRNC IN 30 YRS UNTIL THIS UNIQUE SIT. I FEEL THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AND STRESSED OUT. ALL HE WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO DO WAS A QUICK 'STAND BY.' HE DID NOT. AFTER THIS I FEEL I EXERCISED CAUTION AND JUDGEMENT AFTER EVALUATING THE CONDITIONS AROUND ME.

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.