Narrative:

Koa tower was closed. We called ZHN on frequency 126.0 per 10-7 page announcing '15 mins to taxi.' ZHN immediately issued our clearance: 'heading 350 degrees to 8000 ft, then direct cluts, maintain FL370, squawk abcd, clearance void if not off by XA10Z, time now XA07.' we announced our taxi, takeoff, and 10 mi north on the CTAF, then checked in with ZHN on frequency 126.0 passing 5000 ft. A different controller answered, reported radar contact, and then told us that for future reference, we must always get a release from ZHN 2-3 mins prior to takeoff. I explained that the clearance issued gave us only a clearance void time of XA10Z, and that there were no instructions to call back for release prior to takeoff. We thought that we were released because he gave a clearance void time at the same time he issued the clearance. There was no traffic conflict. Supplemental information from acn 564538: 15 mins before departure from koa, we called ZHN for ATC clearance as the tower was closed. We received a clearance with a void time of XA10 local. We departed koa at XA03. Upon contact with ZHN airborne, we were told that we were supposed to call 3 mins prior to takeoff for release. The controller further stated that the controller who had issued our clearance had told us to do so. The captain was monitoring the frequency when I received our clearance, neither of us heard this, and both of us feel that it was not said. The 10-7 page for koa says only to call ZHN 15 mins prior to taxi for clearance, which we did. Both the captain and myself felt that a clearance issued with a void time without any further instructions is a clearance to take off. Essentially, this was a disagreement between the controller and ourselves as to whether we were told to call again for release. Another possible cause is that the controller who issued our clearance on that same frequency was different from who eventually answered on initial contact airborne. There was no traffic conflict caused by this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HKO TWR BEING CLOSED, A B767 CREW CALLED HNL AND RECEIVED A CLRNC AND DEP BEFORE THE VOID TIME ISSUED. HNL EXPECTED A CALL 15 MINS BEFORE DEP.

Narrative: KOA TWR WAS CLOSED. WE CALLED ZHN ON FREQ 126.0 PER 10-7 PAGE ANNOUNCING '15 MINS TO TAXI.' ZHN IMMEDIATELY ISSUED OUR CLRNC: 'HEADING 350 DEGS TO 8000 FT, THEN DIRECT CLUTS, MAINTAIN FL370, SQUAWK ABCD, CLRNC VOID IF NOT OFF BY XA10Z, TIME NOW XA07.' WE ANNOUNCED OUR TAXI, TKOF, AND 10 MI N ON THE CTAF, THEN CHKED IN WITH ZHN ON FREQ 126.0 PASSING 5000 FT. A DIFFERENT CTLR ANSWERED, RPTED RADAR CONTACT, AND THEN TOLD US THAT FOR FUTURE REF, WE MUST ALWAYS GET A RELEASE FROM ZHN 2-3 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF. I EXPLAINED THAT THE CLRNC ISSUED GAVE US ONLY A CLRNC VOID TIME OF XA10Z, AND THAT THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL BACK FOR RELEASE PRIOR TO TKOF. WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE RELEASED BECAUSE HE GAVE A CLRNC VOID TIME AT THE SAME TIME HE ISSUED THE CLRNC. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 564538: 15 MINS BEFORE DEP FROM KOA, WE CALLED ZHN FOR ATC CLRNC AS THE TWR WAS CLOSED. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC WITH A VOID TIME OF XA10 LCL. WE DEPARTED KOA AT XA03. UPON CONTACT WITH ZHN AIRBORNE, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL 3 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF FOR RELEASE. THE CTLR FURTHER STATED THAT THE CTLR WHO HAD ISSUED OUR CLRNC HAD TOLD US TO DO SO. THE CAPT WAS MONITORING THE FREQ WHEN I RECEIVED OUR CLRNC, NEITHER OF US HEARD THIS, AND BOTH OF US FEEL THAT IT WAS NOT SAID. THE 10-7 PAGE FOR KOA SAYS ONLY TO CALL ZHN 15 MINS PRIOR TO TAXI FOR CLRNC, WHICH WE DID. BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF FELT THAT A CLRNC ISSUED WITH A VOID TIME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS IS A CLRNC TO TAKE OFF. ESSENTIALLY, THIS WAS A DISAGREEMENT BTWN THE CTLR AND OURSELVES AS TO WHETHER WE WERE TOLD TO CALL AGAIN FOR RELEASE. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CAUSE IS THAT THE CTLR WHO ISSUED OUR CLRNC ON THAT SAME FREQ WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHO EVENTUALLY ANSWERED ON INITIAL CONTACT AIRBORNE. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT CAUSED BY THIS EVENT.

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.