A private pilot, with relatively high time, attempted to depart eyw without the tower's permission.

Attributes
ACN	467260
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	467260
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
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 Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was preparing to leave the key west airport at about XA50 am. I taxied out and announced that I was about to take the runway for departure and called this on the radio. The tower answered and said they should have been contacted. Based on what someone at the FBO said, I thought the tower was closed so was planning an uncontrolled departure procedure. I apologized to the tower and was given clearance to depart. I had taxied onto the runway (after doing a 360 degree rotation on the ground with my aircraft to look for local traffic), before the tower called back to me and told me about the problem. I have never done this before and will plan in the future to look more carefully at the times of tower operation in the facility's literature.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT, WITH RELATIVELY HIGH TIME, ATTEMPTED TO DEPART EYW WITHOUT THE TWR'S PERMISSION.

Narrative: I WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE THE KEY WEST ARPT AT ABOUT XA50 AM. I TAXIED OUT AND ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE RWY FOR DEP AND CALLED THIS ON THE RADIO. THE TWR ANSWERED AND SAID THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. BASED ON WHAT SOMEONE AT THE FBO SAID, I THOUGHT THE TWR WAS CLOSED SO WAS PLANNING AN UNCTLED DEP PROC. I APOLOGIZED TO THE TWR AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO DEPART. I HAD TAXIED ONTO THE RWY (AFTER DOING A 360 DEG ROTATION ON THE GND WITH MY ACFT TO LOOK FOR LCL TFC), BEFORE THE TWR CALLED BACK TO ME AND TOLD ME ABOUT THE PROB. I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE AND WILL PLAN IN THE FUTURE TO LOOK MORE CAREFULLY AT THE TIMES OF TWR OP IN THE FACILITY'S LITERATURE.

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.