Narrative:

I planned a pleasure flight in a rented C172 from glendale, az, to the northern part of arizona. On the morning of dec/mon/00, I called prescott FSS for WX briefing for my flight, departing about XA00. I was told tower would not be open. At XB00 I taxied and informed CTAF (121.0) in advance, when I got an answer to call ground for a taxi clearance. I did so, and got my clearance to taxi to runway 1. I was a bit confused about that. It took me about 10-15 mins to taxi to the runway, do the run-up, etc. When holding short, I tried to call tower to get a takeoff clearance, but could not receive anyone. A switched to the second radio, and even on the ground frequency I could not receive anyone. Confused again, I thought the tower must have closed during my taxi and run-up. I verified a mooney on final and in the traffic pattern who could be endangered, advised on CTAF that I would line up runway 1 and departed. Shortly after airborne, I received tower calling me, needed again several attempts to get the tower. Landed in sedona. I called prescott FSS again to get the tower's telephone number (not in the AFD), and again got the information 'there won't east anyone on the tower.' I called the tower personnel and apologized for my mistake. I do not know the reason for the communication problem, maybe a transmission problem. It can also be that I mistook the push-to-talk button with the autoplt disengage button. Both were arranged close to each other on the same side of the yolk. I caught myself one time during flight doing so. On the rest of the flight there were no problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT CONFUSED AS TO WHETHER THE TWR WAS OPERATIONAL, TOOK OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: I PLANNED A PLEASURE FLT IN A RENTED C172 FROM GLENDALE, AZ, TO THE NORTHERN PART OF ARIZONA. ON THE MORNING OF DEC/MON/00, I CALLED PRESCOTT FSS FOR WX BRIEFING FOR MY FLT, DEPARTING ABOUT XA00. I WAS TOLD TWR WOULD NOT BE OPEN. AT XB00 I TAXIED AND INFORMED CTAF (121.0) IN ADVANCE, WHEN I GOT AN ANSWER TO CALL GND FOR A TAXI CLRNC. I DID SO, AND GOT MY CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 1. I WAS A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT THAT. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 10-15 MINS TO TAXI TO THE RWY, DO THE RUN-UP, ETC. WHEN HOLDING SHORT, I TRIED TO CALL TWR TO GET A TKOF CLRNC, BUT COULD NOT RECEIVE ANYONE. A SWITCHED TO THE SECOND RADIO, AND EVEN ON THE GND FREQ I COULD NOT RECEIVE ANYONE. CONFUSED AGAIN, I THOUGHT THE TWR MUST HAVE CLOSED DURING MY TAXI AND RUN-UP. I VERIFIED A MOONEY ON FINAL AND IN THE TFC PATTERN WHO COULD BE ENDANGERED, ADVISED ON CTAF THAT I WOULD LINE UP RWY 1 AND DEPARTED. SHORTLY AFTER AIRBORNE, I RECEIVED TWR CALLING ME, NEEDED AGAIN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE TWR. LANDED IN SEDONA. I CALLED PRESCOTT FSS AGAIN TO GET THE TWR'S TELEPHONE NUMBER (NOT IN THE AFD), AND AGAIN GOT THE INFO 'THERE WON'T E ANYONE ON THE TWR.' I CALLED THE TWR PERSONNEL AND APOLOGIZED FOR MY MISTAKE. I DO NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR THE COM PROB, MAYBE A XMISSION PROB. IT CAN ALSO BE THAT I MISTOOK THE PUSH-TO-TALK BUTTON WITH THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGE BUTTON. BOTH WERE ARRANGED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE YOLK. I CAUGHT MYSELF ONE TIME DURING FLT DOING SO. ON THE REST OF THE FLT THERE WERE NO PROBS.

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.