Narrative:

I was participating in the formation flying clinic with the bonanzas to oshkosh group at redmond. On the third flight of the day, I was to fly 'lead' for the flight with mr X as my safety pilot. Mr Y was my #2, in an A36 bonanza, with his safety pilot on board as well. Mr X was handling the radios for me, so I could concentrate on the mechanics of the formation flight. I heard us cleared into position and hold. I believe that mr X read it back. We moved into position on the runway. Mr X signaled for both airplanes to do our 2000 FPM final power check. I did that, and engines looked good. Our #2 signaled that his engine was good. Mr X dropped his chin to his chest, signaling my #2 that we were rolling, and he told me to go. So, I took off, with my #2 following, in our formation takeoff. I do not recall hearing any takeoff clearance. As we were departing the pattern, redmond tower told us that we were not actually cleared for takeoff. Mr X acknowledged the tower with a 1-WORD acknowledgement, possibly 'roger.' in retrospect, it was a mistake to let mr X assume radio communications duties because it makes the pilot less in control, and less 'in the loop.' regardless of mr X handling the radios, I was PIC for the flight, and should certainly have been critically monitoring his radio communications. I made a serious mistake in taking off without personally having heard any takeoff clearance. When we returned to the redmond tower after our flight, they asked us to call the tower. The tower person told me that he was required to file a 'pilot deviation' on me, because of a loss of separation between our flight and a fuel truck crossing the far end of the redmond airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 LEAD AND SAFETY PLT DEPARTING RDM IN FORMATION WITH AN A36 DEPART WITHOUT A TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE FORMATION FLYING CLINIC WITH THE BONANZAS TO OSHKOSH GROUP AT REDMOND. ON THE THIRD FLT OF THE DAY, I WAS TO FLY 'LEAD' FOR THE FLT WITH MR X AS MY SAFETY PLT. MR Y WAS MY #2, IN AN A36 BONANZA, WITH HIS SAFETY PLT ON BOARD AS WELL. MR X WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS FOR ME, SO I COULD CONCENTRATE ON THE MECHS OF THE FORMATION FLT. I HEARD US CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD. I BELIEVE THAT MR X READ IT BACK. WE MOVED INTO POS ON THE RWY. MR X SIGNALED FOR BOTH AIRPLANES TO DO OUR 2000 FPM FINAL PWR CHK. I DID THAT, AND ENGS LOOKED GOOD. OUR #2 SIGNALED THAT HIS ENG WAS GOOD. MR X DROPPED HIS CHIN TO HIS CHEST, SIGNALING MY #2 THAT WE WERE ROLLING, AND HE TOLD ME TO GO. SO, I TOOK OFF, WITH MY #2 FOLLOWING, IN OUR FORMATION TKOF. I DO NOT RECALL HEARING ANY TKOF CLRNC. AS WE WERE DEPARTING THE PATTERN, REDMOND TWR TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY CLRED FOR TKOF. MR X ACKNOWLEDGED THE TWR WITH A 1-WORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, POSSIBLY 'ROGER.' IN RETROSPECT, IT WAS A MISTAKE TO LET MR X ASSUME RADIO COMS DUTIES BECAUSE IT MAKES THE PLT LESS IN CTL, AND LESS 'IN THE LOOP.' REGARDLESS OF MR X HANDLING THE RADIOS, I WAS PIC FOR THE FLT, AND SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN CRITICALLY MONITORING HIS RADIO COMS. I MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE IN TAKING OFF WITHOUT PERSONALLY HAVING HEARD ANY TKOF CLRNC. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE REDMOND TWR AFTER OUR FLT, THEY ASKED US TO CALL THE TWR. THE TWR PERSON TOLD ME THAT HE WAS REQUIRED TO FILE A 'PLTDEV' ON ME, BECAUSE OF A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN OUR FLT AND A FUEL TRUCK XING THE FAR END OF THE REDMOND ARPT.

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.