C182 commercial pilot departs apa without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	691362
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apa.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apa.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 9050 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	691362
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While getting ready to depart apa airport for pir; sd; VFR; first I neglected to have an airport diagram for taxi purposes. When ground said hold short of runway 10 and monitor ground; something distraction me and I told ground I was ready; then I thought I heard cleared for takeoff. Without even thinking; I entered the runway 10 and took off. Only after airborne; when ground told me that I had not been cleared for takeoff and then seeing the radios set on 122.7 ground; I realized I was in error. I panicked then the controller said contact denver on 132.75. When I contacted them; the controller was busy; so I set the transponder to 1200 and got out of there as fast as I could. I know it was totally all my fault. Contributing factors were my mind probably was more on the paralyzed patient that I brought out there instead of flying the airplane. In addition; my radio volume became very low (which I will get fixed). Ground control stated that south dakota was north; not south; and I knew the WX was VFR to the south and then I climbed to 7500 ft; stayed below class B airspace. I also need to spend more practice time at tower controled airports and in and around class B and C airspace and get the radios so the volume is higher.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 COMMERCIAL PLT DEPARTS APA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE GETTING READY TO DEPART APA ARPT FOR PIR; SD; VFR; FIRST I NEGLECTED TO HAVE AN ARPT DIAGRAM FOR TAXI PURPOSES. WHEN GND SAID HOLD SHORT OF RWY 10 AND MONITOR GND; SOMETHING DISTR ME AND I TOLD GND I WAS READY; THEN I THOUGHT I HEARD CLRED FOR TKOF. WITHOUT EVEN THINKING; I ENTERED THE RWY 10 AND TOOK OFF. ONLY AFTER AIRBORNE; WHEN GND TOLD ME THAT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND THEN SEEING THE RADIOS SET ON 122.7 GND; I REALIZED I WAS IN ERROR. I PANICKED THEN THE CTLR SAID CONTACT DENVER ON 132.75. WHEN I CONTACTED THEM; THE CTLR WAS BUSY; SO I SET THE XPONDER TO 1200 AND GOT OUT OF THERE AS FAST AS I COULD. I KNOW IT WAS TOTALLY ALL MY FAULT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE MY MIND PROBABLY WAS MORE ON THE PARALYZED PATIENT THAT I BROUGHT OUT THERE INSTEAD OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE. IN ADDITION; MY RADIO VOLUME BECAME VERY LOW (WHICH I WILL GET FIXED). GND CTL STATED THAT SOUTH DAKOTA WAS N; NOT S; AND I KNEW THE WX WAS VFR TO THE S AND THEN I CLBED TO 7500 FT; STAYED BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE. I ALSO NEED TO SPEND MORE PRACTICE TIME AT TWR CTLED ARPTS AND IN AND AROUND CLASS B AND C AIRSPACE AND GET THE RADIOS SO THE VOLUME IS HIGHER.

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.