Ground controller forgets that pushback clearance was given.

Attributes
ACN	453150
Time
Date	199910
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sea.tower tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sea.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
ASRS Report	453150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We asked and received clearance to push back from gate. We repeated our call sign and the fact that we were given clearance after we were given clearance for the push. Ground was asked by a jet why we were in the alley as he was trying to turn in. Ground responded that she did not know and asked us who we were. We responded with our call sign and that she had given us clearance to push. She responded that she did not remember giving her clearance and I responded with my call sign when it was given. No further comment was made about the incident by ground and the rest of the flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CTLR FORGETS THAT PUSHBACK CLRNC WAS GIVEN.

Narrative: WE ASKED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO PUSH BACK FROM GATE. WE REPEATED OUR CALL SIGN AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC AFTER WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC FOR THE PUSH. GND WAS ASKED BY A JET WHY WE WERE IN THE ALLEY AS HE WAS TRYING TO TURN IN. GND RESPONDED THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW AND ASKED US WHO WE WERE. WE RESPONDED WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND THAT SHE HAD GIVEN US CLRNC TO PUSH. SHE RESPONDED THAT SHE DID NOT REMEMBER GIVING HER CLRNC AND I RESPONDED WITH MY CALL SIGN WHEN IT WAS GIVEN. NO FURTHER COMMENT WAS MADE ABOUT THE INCIDENT BY GND AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.