Narrative:

At approximately XA30 on dec/xa/99, we taxied to runway 34 at hpn (white plains/westchester county). The runway edge lights were OTS, however, the centerline lights were full bright and it was still daylight. The tower advised us he was not issuing any takeoff clrncs and that 'takeoff at our own risk.' I requested clarification and asked if that meant the field was uncontrolled and we could depart. He responded 'negative, the field is controled. Take off at your own risk, advise if rolling.' the captain and I discussed this and both agreed that we were cleared for takeoff at our own discretion. After departure, we heard the tower advise an inbound aircraft to 'hold over the bridge, the field is closed.' I'm afraid we may have departed a closed airport and entered class B airspace without a clearance. Several factors led to our decision to depart. First, the controller was unclr on our clearance. When we requested clarification, he was hostile and unhelpful. A second factor was our desire to launch before dusk, so we would not be stuck in hpn for the night. I feel that this problem may be avoided in the near future if we request further clarification from the tower. If they are unwilling to clarify, we must refuse to depart until we're clearly released.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 FLC CONCERNED WITH HPN COMMENTS AFTER AIRBORNE WHEN TWR ADVISES INBOUND ACFT ARPT CLOSED. TWR ADVISED DEPARTING FLC THAT DEPARTED WAS AT PLT'S DISCRETION.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 ON DEC/XA/99, WE TAXIED TO RWY 34 AT HPN (WHITE PLAINS/WESTCHESTER COUNTY). THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE OTS, HOWEVER, THE CTRLINE LIGHTS WERE FULL BRIGHT AND IT WAS STILL DAYLIGHT. THE TWR ADVISED US HE WAS NOT ISSUING ANY TKOF CLRNCS AND THAT 'TKOF AT OUR OWN RISK.' I REQUESTED CLARIFICATION AND ASKED IF THAT MEANT THE FIELD WAS UNCTLED AND WE COULD DEPART. HE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE, THE FIELD IS CTLED. TAKE OFF AT YOUR OWN RISK, ADVISE IF ROLLING.' THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THIS AND BOTH AGREED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AT OUR OWN DISCRETION. AFTER DEP, WE HEARD THE TWR ADVISE AN INBOUND ACFT TO 'HOLD OVER THE BRIDGE, THE FIELD IS CLOSED.' I'M AFRAID WE MAY HAVE DEPARTED A CLOSED ARPT AND ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO OUR DECISION TO DEPART. FIRST, THE CTLR WAS UNCLR ON OUR CLRNC. WHEN WE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION, HE WAS HOSTILE AND UNHELPFUL. A SECOND FACTOR WAS OUR DESIRE TO LAUNCH BEFORE DUSK, SO WE WOULD NOT BE STUCK IN HPN FOR THE NIGHT. I FEEL THAT THIS PROB MAY BE AVOIDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE IF WE REQUEST FURTHER CLARIFICATION FROM THE TWR. IF THEY ARE UNWILLING TO CLARIFY, WE MUST REFUSE TO DEPART UNTIL WE'RE CLRLY RELEASED.

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.