Narrative:

On sep/xa/99, at approximately AC30, we were at the gate at pvd operating under XXX and preparing for pushback. My first officer was obtaining our clearance to ewr. Clearance advised us that we contact him prior to pushback. After completing our checklists, my first officer contacted clearance and advised that we were ready to push. Clearance responded by clearing us to ewr with a release and void time of about AC43-AC47. At the end of his transmission, we did not recall clearance advising us to contact ground for pushback. We were then led to believe that we were in fact good to push. The pushback was then commenced. About 1/3 of the way through the pushback, ground control asked us if we were on frequency. I answered yes. The ground controller then stated, 'you were not given pushback clearance.' I told him that we were told to contact clearance prior to pushback and in that believed we were good to push back. I apologized for the misunderstanding and confusion. The controller then replied, 'that's ok' with no further inquiries. We took that statement as an approval to continue the push. Upon completing the after start checklist we contacted ground for taxi. The taxi was uneventful. We were issued and complied with a clearance to hold short of runway 16/34. We were then cleared to cross runway 16/34 via txwys north and M to runway 23L where we completed our taxi checklist. We held short of runway 23L while we completed our before takeoff checklist and proceeded to call the tower. Upon calling the tower, were cleared to taxi into position and hold on runway 23L. After holding for a few moments we were cleared for takeoff. Below 10000 ft the tower asked us to copy a telephone number for a possible pilot deviation. After speaking with the supervisor, I was told that this has become a big problem and a few other pilots have been reported over the past 2 weeks for the same thing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 PUSHES BACK WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC AT PVD.

Narrative: ON SEP/XA/99, AT APPROX AC30, WE WERE AT THE GATE AT PVD OPERATING UNDER XXX AND PREPARING FOR PUSHBACK. MY FO WAS OBTAINING OUR CLRNC TO EWR. CLRNC ADVISED US THAT WE CONTACT HIM PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. AFTER COMPLETING OUR CHKLISTS, MY FO CONTACTED CLRNC AND ADVISED THAT WE WERE READY TO PUSH. CLRNC RESPONDED BY CLRING US TO EWR WITH A RELEASE AND VOID TIME OF ABOUT AC43-AC47. AT THE END OF HIS XMISSION, WE DID NOT RECALL CLRNC ADVISING US TO CONTACT GND FOR PUSHBACK. WE WERE THEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE IN FACT GOOD TO PUSH. THE PUSHBACK WAS THEN COMMENCED. ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY THROUGH THE PUSHBACK, GND CTL ASKED US IF WE WERE ON FREQ. I ANSWERED YES. THE GND CTLR THEN STATED, 'YOU WERE NOT GIVEN PUSHBACK CLRNC.' I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT CLRNC PRIOR TO PUSHBACK AND IN THAT BELIEVED WE WERE GOOD TO PUSH BACK. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND CONFUSION. THE CTLR THEN REPLIED, 'THAT'S OK' WITH NO FURTHER INQUIRIES. WE TOOK THAT STATEMENT AS AN APPROVAL TO CONTINUE THE PUSH. UPON COMPLETING THE AFTER START CHKLIST WE CONTACTED GND FOR TAXI. THE TAXI WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE WERE ISSUED AND COMPLIED WITH A CLRNC TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 16/34. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO CROSS RWY 16/34 VIA TXWYS N AND M TO RWY 23L WHERE WE COMPLETED OUR TAXI CHKLIST. WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 23L WHILE WE COMPLETED OUR BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND PROCEEDED TO CALL THE TWR. UPON CALLING THE TWR, WERE CLRED TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 23L. AFTER HOLDING FOR A FEW MOMENTS WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. BELOW 10000 FT THE TWR ASKED US TO COPY A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SUPVR, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS BECOME A BIG PROB AND A FEW OTHER PLTS HAVE BEEN RPTED OVER THE PAST 2 WKS FOR THE SAME THING.

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.