Narrative:

I had just completed my runup in preparation of departing runway 9 at tix from the westernmost end of the runway (I believe I was on taxiway B). I switched to tower frequency and announced I was ready for takeoff. The tower responded 'aircraft X cleared for takeoff.' as he was telling me this; I was looking west and observed an aircraft on a 1/2 mi final to runway 9. My passenger also noted the landing aircraft and pointed it out to me. I replied 'aircraft X is going to hold until this other aircraft lands.' after a brief pause; the tower told me to hold short of runway 9; after which he said 'I apologize profusely for that.' I replied 'apology accepted.' when the landing aircraft had departed the runway; the tower called up and said 'aircraft X; if everything looks good to you; you're cleared for takeoff.' I taxied onto the runway and departed without incident. At the time there was quite a bit of helicopter traffic (apparently in training); and several fixed wing aircraft taxiing. My passenger on this flight was a retired naval officer who spent his entire career in ATC. I didn't pick up on this; but he was of the opinion that one person was manning both the tower and ground frequencys; and that the controller just got a little overloaded. The fact that we were about a mi from the control tower may also have been a contributing factor. It was interesting hearing my passenger describe the incident as a 'cardinal sin' for a controller; and how one of their worst fears is making a mistake like that in hard IFR. As a low time private pilot; this was certainly a learning experience for me. I'll never again assume the controller has everything under control. In the end; the system worked. The pilot and controller worked together to keep everybody safe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 DEP FROM TIX IS CLRED FOR TKOF; OBSERVES ON SHORT FINAL; AND ADVISES ATC THAT HE OR SHE WILL WAIT FOR ARR TFC.

Narrative: I HAD JUST COMPLETED MY RUNUP IN PREPARATION OF DEPARTING RWY 9 AT TIX FROM THE WESTERNMOST END OF THE RWY (I BELIEVE I WAS ON TXWY B). I SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AND ANNOUNCED I WAS READY FOR TKOF. THE TWR RESPONDED 'ACFT X CLRED FOR TKOF.' AS HE WAS TELLING ME THIS; I WAS LOOKING W AND OBSERVED AN ACFT ON A 1/2 MI FINAL TO RWY 9. MY PAX ALSO NOTED THE LNDG ACFT AND POINTED IT OUT TO ME. I REPLIED 'ACFT X IS GOING TO HOLD UNTIL THIS OTHER ACFT LANDS.' AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE; THE TWR TOLD ME TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9; AFTER WHICH HE SAID 'I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY FOR THAT.' I REPLIED 'APOLOGY ACCEPTED.' WHEN THE LNDG ACFT HAD DEPARTED THE RWY; THE TWR CALLED UP AND SAID 'ACFT X; IF EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD TO YOU; YOU'RE CLRED FOR TKOF.' I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT THE TIME THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF HELI TFC (APPARENTLY IN TRAINING); AND SEVERAL FIXED WING ACFT TAXIING. MY PAX ON THIS FLT WAS A RETIRED NAVAL OFFICER WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER IN ATC. I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THIS; BUT HE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT ONE PERSON WAS MANNING BOTH THE TWR AND GND FREQS; AND THAT THE CTLR JUST GOT A LITTLE OVERLOADED. THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABOUT A MI FROM THE CTL TWR MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. IT WAS INTERESTING HEARING MY PAX DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT AS A 'CARDINAL SIN' FOR A CTLR; AND HOW ONE OF THEIR WORST FEARS IS MAKING A MISTAKE LIKE THAT IN HARD IFR. AS A LOW TIME PVT PLT; THIS WAS CERTAINLY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I'LL NEVER AGAIN ASSUME THE CTLR HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CTL. IN THE END; THE SYS WORKED. THE PLT AND CTLR WORKED TOGETHER TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE.

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.