Narrative:

While waiting to take off from runway 4R at ewr, I was told to hold short for a large air carrier jet, which was landing. After the jet landed, I was told by the tower controller to taxi into position and hold on runway 4R. But then I was informed that there was an aircraft on a (some distance) mi final. This information is usually given to an aircraft that has been cleared for an immediate takeoff, without delay, since it lets the pilot know that separation distance is critical and a delay could compromise this separation. This fact, coupled with the controller's tone, which I perceived as anxious, led me to think that I had been cleared for a takeoff without delay. The fact is that I had not received a takeoff clearance, but did not realize this until it was called to my attention on the climb out. I also believe that by the time I began my takeoff roll, the landing air carrier jet had cleared the active runway, judged by the conversation between the pilot and the tower controller regarding taxi instructions. The tower controller was also acting as the ground controller. Also, I do not remember seeing the jet on the runway during my takeoff roll. I believe there were other factors, which contributed to this incident. One was the pressure from my job to take off as soon as possible. Another was the stress I was feeling from operating at a large, intimidating and unfamiliar airport. Additionally, I was stressed out from having had to change aircraft at the last min, which took time to set up for the flight, and caused some delay. Other factors which I feel played a role included the fact that I had been awake for about 20 hours having been unable to get any rest at the pilot crew room due to excessive noise. Several pilots have complained about this base, due to the stresses of operating in the busy terminal area, at night, sometimes in IMC, being rushed to conduct instrument approachs at approach speeds well above normal, to keep up with larger jets, and then having to taxi in a confusing airport. I believe this added to my fatigue and caused an adverse effect on my judgement and awareness and perception.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208 CARGO PLT TOOK OFF FROM EWR WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE WAITING TO TAKE OFF FROM RWY 4R AT EWR, I WAS TOLD TO HOLD SHORT FOR A LARGE ACR JET, WHICH WAS LNDG. AFTER THE JET LANDED, I WAS TOLD BY THE TWR CTLR TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 4R. BUT THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON A (SOME DISTANCE) MI FINAL. THIS INFO IS USUALLY GIVEN TO AN ACFT THAT HAS BEEN CLRED FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF, WITHOUT DELAY, SINCE IT LETS THE PLT KNOW THAT SEPARATION DISTANCE IS CRITICAL AND A DELAY COULD COMPROMISE THIS SEPARATION. THIS FACT, COUPLED WITH THE CTLR'S TONE, WHICH I PERCEIVED AS ANXIOUS, LED ME TO THINK THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A TKOF WITHOUT DELAY. THE FACT IS THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC, BUT DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL IT WAS CALLED TO MY ATTN ON THE CLBOUT. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT BY THE TIME I BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL, THE LNDG ACR JET HAD CLRED THE ACTIVE RWY, JUDGED BY THE CONVERSATION BTWN THE PLT AND THE TWR CTLR REGARDING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE TWR CTLR WAS ALSO ACTING AS THE GND CTLR. ALSO, I DO NOT REMEMBER SEEING THE JET ON THE RWY DURING MY TKOF ROLL. I BELIEVE THERE WERE OTHER FACTORS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. ONE WAS THE PRESSURE FROM MY JOB TO TAKE OFF ASAP. ANOTHER WAS THE STRESS I WAS FEELING FROM OPERATING AT A LARGE, INTIMIDATING AND UNFAMILIAR ARPT. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS STRESSED OUT FROM HAVING HAD TO CHANGE ACFT AT THE LAST MIN, WHICH TOOK TIME TO SET UP FOR THE FLT, AND CAUSED SOME DELAY. OTHER FACTORS WHICH I FEEL PLAYED A ROLE INCLUDED THE FACT THAT I HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR ABOUT 20 HRS HAVING BEEN UNABLE TO GET ANY REST AT THE PLT CREW ROOM DUE TO EXCESSIVE NOISE. SEVERAL PLTS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS BASE, DUE TO THE STRESSES OF OPERATING IN THE BUSY TERMINAL AREA, AT NIGHT, SOMETIMES IN IMC, BEING RUSHED TO CONDUCT INST APCHS AT APCH SPDS WELL ABOVE NORMAL, TO KEEP UP WITH LARGER JETS, AND THEN HAVING TO TAXI IN A CONFUSING ARPT. I BELIEVE THIS ADDED TO MY FATIGUE AND CAUSED AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON MY JUDGEMENT AND AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION.

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.