Narrative:

I had flown mem-orf-mem, flight XXX tail swap at orf, flight YYYY return -- an am out and back -- all month. Also the company X color page for orf, my first officer had called ground for pushback clearance. Ground's response had been anything from 'cleared to pushback,' to 'call when ready to taxi' to 'that is a non-movement area, push at your own discretion.' saturday was the last trip of our scheduled month. We were 1 hour 55 mins late in getting airborne from mem due to WX. I flew with a different first officer and at pushback told him we didn't have to call for clearance (in accordance with ground's previous statement). Nothing was said by ATC until my first officer called for taxi. We were then advised we had pushed back onto active taxiway X. I then talked on the radio telling ground what had happened when we had last called for pushback clearance. After a short discussion, ground advised I should have known X was an active taxiway and should not have pushed onto it without clearance. Both true statements. While ground was correct, I feel somewhat set up. The X color page discusses pushback onto taxiway X, well, just where else would we/could be pushed? The ground controller a time or two before had no problem with us pushing without clearance. But this one did. In an effort to prevent this from reoccurring, I foresee calling each and every ground for pushback clearance, regardless of non-movement area status and/or what the controller said the day before. An extra (read wasted) radio call beats filling out paperwork! My first officer was trying to do the correct procedure (by calling) but, in an attempt to streamline operations, I told him it wasn't required. I guess judgement is the first thing to go when you're tired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW PUSHED BACK WITHOUT A CLRNC ONTO AN ACTIVE TXWY AT ORF.

Narrative: I HAD FLOWN MEM-ORF-MEM, FLT XXX TAIL SWAP AT ORF, FLT YYYY RETURN -- AN AM OUT AND BACK -- ALL MONTH. ALSO THE COMPANY X COLOR PAGE FOR ORF, MY FO HAD CALLED GND FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC. GND'S RESPONSE HAD BEEN ANYTHING FROM 'CLRED TO PUSHBACK,' TO 'CALL WHEN READY TO TAXI' TO 'THAT IS A NON-MOVEMENT AREA, PUSH AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.' SATURDAY WAS THE LAST TRIP OF OUR SCHEDULED MONTH. WE WERE 1 HR 55 MINS LATE IN GETTING AIRBORNE FROM MEM DUE TO WX. I FLEW WITH A DIFFERENT FO AND AT PUSHBACK TOLD HIM WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CALL FOR CLRNC (IN ACCORDANCE WITH GND'S PREVIOUS STATEMENT). NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC UNTIL MY FO CALLED FOR TAXI. WE WERE THEN ADVISED WE HAD PUSHED BACK ONTO ACTIVE TXWY X. I THEN TALKED ON THE RADIO TELLING GND WHAT HAD HAPPENED WHEN WE HAD LAST CALLED FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC. AFTER A SHORT DISCUSSION, GND ADVISED I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN X WAS AN ACTIVE TXWY AND SHOULD NOT HAVE PUSHED ONTO IT WITHOUT CLRNC. BOTH TRUE STATEMENTS. WHILE GND WAS CORRECT, I FEEL SOMEWHAT SET UP. THE X COLOR PAGE DISCUSSES PUSHBACK ONTO TXWY X, WELL, JUST WHERE ELSE WOULD WE/COULD BE PUSHED? THE GND CTLR A TIME OR TWO BEFORE HAD NO PROB WITH US PUSHING WITHOUT CLRNC. BUT THIS ONE DID. IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THIS FROM REOCCURRING, I FORESEE CALLING EACH AND EVERY GND FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC, REGARDLESS OF NON-MOVEMENT AREA STATUS AND/OR WHAT THE CTLR SAID THE DAY BEFORE. AN EXTRA (READ WASTED) RADIO CALL BEATS FILLING OUT PAPERWORK! MY FO WAS TRYING TO DO THE CORRECT PROC (BY CALLING) BUT, IN AN ATTEMPT TO STREAMLINE OPS, I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T REQUIRED. I GUESS JUDGEMENT IS THE FIRST THING TO GO WHEN YOU'RE TIRED.

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.