Incorrectly believing the tower to be closed; PA32 pilot departs bct without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	692906
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bct.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 215 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	692906
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : runway incursion : taxiway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I removed my plane from its hangar at the boca raton (bct) airport intending to take the plane for a test flight for the first time since its annual inspection was conducted this past week. I did my preflight check and turned on the radios through my main avionics switch that turns all my avionic instruments on to their preset position. I did not hear any traffic. Believing that the airport tower had not opened and that the airport was still uncontrolled; I looked at the windsock and observed the wind slightly coming from the southeast and made a determination that the most appropriate direction for takeoff would be on runway 23. I announced on 118.425 to boca raton traffic that I was first; taxiing to the active; I looked in the sky and saw no traffic and received no response from traffic but remained listening on the radio and then announced my departure on the active; runway 23. After takeoff I did not hear any communications so I started adjusting the avionics and discovered the squelch; volume controls and toggle switches were altered from their normal position; apparently done during the annual inspection. Once I made the adjustment; I immediately heard the 'chatter' and contacted the boca raton tower. I was informed that I was in serious trouble and immediately returned to the airport; landed and called the tower on my cell phone. I explained what I believed had happened and was informed that this incident was going to be reported and that the 'committee' would review it to determine the consequences of my violation and that I would receive further communication within 7-10 days. I believe that my mistake was caused by my failure to recognize that the avionics settings had been changed from their pre-set position causing the inadvertent mistake of not having communications with the tower and subsequent deviation from the existing pattern at the time of takeoff. I am truly sorry for this mistake and have learned a substantial lesson regarding improving my preflight checks to include adjustment of all switches on all instruments.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INCORRECTLY BELIEVING THE TWR TO BE CLOSED; PA32 PLT DEPARTS BCT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I REMOVED MY PLANE FROM ITS HANGAR AT THE BOCA RATON (BCT) ARPT INTENDING TO TAKE THE PLANE FOR A TEST FLT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED THIS PAST WK. I DID MY PREFLT CHK AND TURNED ON THE RADIOS THROUGH MY MAIN AVIONICS SWITCH THAT TURNS ALL MY AVIONIC INSTS ON TO THEIR PRESET POS. I DID NOT HEAR ANY TFC. BELIEVING THAT THE ARPT TWR HAD NOT OPENED AND THAT THE ARPT WAS STILL UNCTLED; I LOOKED AT THE WINDSOCK AND OBSERVED THE WIND SLIGHTLY COMING FROM THE SE AND MADE A DETERMINATION THAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE DIRECTION FOR TKOF WOULD BE ON RWY 23. I ANNOUNCED ON 118.425 TO BOCA RATON TFC THAT I WAS FIRST; TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE; I LOOKED IN THE SKY AND SAW NO TFC AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM TFC BUT REMAINED LISTENING ON THE RADIO AND THEN ANNOUNCED MY DEP ON THE ACTIVE; RWY 23. AFTER TKOF I DID NOT HEAR ANY COMS SO I STARTED ADJUSTING THE AVIONICS AND DISCOVERED THE SQUELCH; VOLUME CTLS AND TOGGLE SWITCHES WERE ALTERED FROM THEIR NORMAL POS; APPARENTLY DONE DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. ONCE I MADE THE ADJUSTMENT; I IMMEDIATELY HEARD THE 'CHATTER' AND CONTACTED THE BOCA RATON TWR. I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE ARPT; LANDED AND CALLED THE TWR ON MY CELL PHONE. I EXPLAINED WHAT I BELIEVED HAD HAPPENED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS GOING TO BE RPTED AND THAT THE 'COMMITTEE' WOULD REVIEW IT TO DETERMINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY VIOLATION AND THAT I WOULD RECEIVE FURTHER COM WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. I BELIEVE THAT MY MISTAKE WAS CAUSED BY MY FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AVIONICS SETTINGS HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM THEIR PRE-SET POS CAUSING THE INADVERTENT MISTAKE OF NOT HAVING COMS WITH THE TWR AND SUBSEQUENT DEV FROM THE EXISTING PATTERN AT THE TIME OF TKOF. I AM TRULY SORRY FOR THIS MISTAKE AND HAVE LEARNED A SUBSTANTIAL LESSON REGARDING IMPROVING MY PREFLT CHKS TO INCLUDE ADJUSTMENT OF ALL SWITCHES ON ALL INSTS.

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.