Narrative:

After leaving the run-up area and taxiing to the hold short line; I called bur tower and requested the golden state departure procedure. After performing my 'runway items' and runway checklist;' I taxied onto the runway and proceeded with my takeoff. At about 200 ft AGL; I received a call from the tower informing me that I took off without a clearance. I thought I had been cleared; but perhaps from the time it took me to read back my clearance; perform my checklist; and taxi onto the runway; to the time I took off; I forgot that I was merely cleared into position. If I did forget that I was only cleared into position; I am very sorry. As far as how the problem arose; there was certainly more than one contributing factor. Being that this was a check ride; I was probably focused too much on the 3 upcoming IFR approachs. I had also been away from home nearly a month for training; so I probably allowed an eagerness to get the check ride over with to override my patience. My inexperience with the company procedures may have also been a factor. To all this; if I add the basic 'check ride jitters' I was feeling; it then becomes more clear as to why I may have taken off without a clearance. As stated above; this was a company check ride; so I wasn't alone. In this case; I believe my check pilot may simply have been too fatigued by the day he already had to notice we weren't cleared for takeoff; as he was as surprised to hear from the tower as I was. The reason why fatigue may have been a factor is that we were scheduled to fly first thing in the morning; but the check pilot had been called to do a 3.5 hour check ride with someone else; so we ended up going in the afternoon. As far as preventing this from occurring again; the best solution I can offer is for the pilot at the controls to take his/her time; and to prioritize.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 PLT ON A CHK RIDE DEPARTED A CTLED ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER LEAVING THE RUN-UP AREA AND TAXIING TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE; I CALLED BUR TWR AND REQUESTED THE GOLDEN STATE DEP PROC. AFTER PERFORMING MY 'RWY ITEMS' AND RWY CHKLIST;' I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND PROCEEDED WITH MY TKOF. AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL; I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE TWR INFORMING ME THAT I TOOK OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC. I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN CLRED; BUT PERHAPS FROM THE TIME IT TOOK ME TO READ BACK MY CLRNC; PERFORM MY CHKLIST; AND TAXI ONTO THE RWY; TO THE TIME I TOOK OFF; I FORGOT THAT I WAS MERELY CLRED INTO POS. IF I DID FORGET THAT I WAS ONLY CLRED INTO POS; I AM VERY SORRY. AS FAR AS HOW THE PROB AROSE; THERE WAS CERTAINLY MORE THAN ONE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. BEING THAT THIS WAS A CHK RIDE; I WAS PROBABLY FOCUSED TOO MUCH ON THE 3 UPCOMING IFR APCHS. I HAD ALSO BEEN AWAY FROM HOME NEARLY A MONTH FOR TRAINING; SO I PROBABLY ALLOWED AN EAGERNESS TO GET THE CHK RIDE OVER WITH TO OVERRIDE MY PATIENCE. MY INEXPERIENCE WITH THE COMPANY PROCS MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A FACTOR. TO ALL THIS; IF I ADD THE BASIC 'CHK RIDE JITTERS' I WAS FEELING; IT THEN BECOMES MORE CLR AS TO WHY I MAY HAVE TAKEN OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC. AS STATED ABOVE; THIS WAS A COMPANY CHK RIDE; SO I WASN'T ALONE. IN THIS CASE; I BELIEVE MY CHK PLT MAY SIMPLY HAVE BEEN TOO FATIGUED BY THE DAY HE ALREADY HAD TO NOTICE WE WEREN'T CLRED FOR TKOF; AS HE WAS AS SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM THE TWR AS I WAS. THE REASON WHY FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IS THAT WE WERE SCHEDULED TO FLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING; BUT THE CHK PLT HAD BEEN CALLED TO DO A 3.5 HR CHK RIDE WITH SOMEONE ELSE; SO WE ENDED UP GOING IN THE AFTERNOON. AS FAR AS PREVENTING THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN; THE BEST SOLUTION I CAN OFFER IS FOR THE PLT AT THE CTLS TO TAKE HIS/HER TIME; AND TO PRIORITIZE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.