Pilot takes off on closed runway at lgb before tower is open.

Attributes
ACN	460788
Time
Date	200001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb.tower tower : hou.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Chancellor 414A & C414
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	460788
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sum: reporter received an IFR clearance after a normal briefing with a void time before the lgb tower opened for the day. Preparations were made for an on-time departure, but there was a question as to whether or not the radios were working correctly. It was close to tower opening time and reporter made several nonstandard calls, which were not answered. He then planned to take off on time, make a call to departure control, and if not successful, return and land VFR. Takeoff was successful, contact made and flight proceeded normally. Later a request was made to contact lgb tower to explain takeoff on a closed runway. No notice of the runway closure was found in the duats briefing or with the FSS briefer. Problems of concern to the reporter are: 1) the lack of notice from any source about the runway closure. 2) his lack of improper radio xmissions when the tower was closed and he should have been using CTAF calls. Tower said they would have answered a CTAF call indicating a takeoff on the closed runway. 3) the tendency for pilots to rush when trying to make clearance void times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TAKES OFF ON CLOSED RWY AT LGB BEFORE TWR IS OPEN.

Narrative: IN SUM: RPTR RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC AFTER A NORMAL BRIEFING WITH A VOID TIME BEFORE THE LGB TWR OPENED FOR THE DAY. PREPARATIONS WERE MADE FOR AN ON-TIME DEP, BUT THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE RADIOS WERE WORKING CORRECTLY. IT WAS CLOSE TO TWR OPENING TIME AND RPTR MADE SEVERAL NONSTANDARD CALLS, WHICH WERE NOT ANSWERED. HE THEN PLANNED TO TAKE OFF ON TIME, MAKE A CALL TO DEP CTL, AND IF NOT SUCCESSFUL, RETURN AND LAND VFR. TKOF WAS SUCCESSFUL, CONTACT MADE AND FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. LATER A REQUEST WAS MADE TO CONTACT LGB TWR TO EXPLAIN TKOF ON A CLOSED RWY. NO NOTICE OF THE RWY CLOSURE WAS FOUND IN THE DUATS BRIEFING OR WITH THE FSS BRIEFER. PROBS OF CONCERN TO THE RPTR ARE: 1) THE LACK OF NOTICE FROM ANY SOURCE ABOUT THE RWY CLOSURE. 2) HIS LACK OF IMPROPER RADIO XMISSIONS WHEN THE TWR WAS CLOSED AND HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN USING CTAF CALLS. TWR SAID THEY WOULD HAVE ANSWERED A CTAF CALL INDICATING A TKOF ON THE CLOSED RWY. 3) THE TENDENCY FOR PLTS TO RUSH WHEN TRYING TO MAKE CLRNC VOID TIMES.

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.