Small aircraft pilot communication with ground control, but cannot contact tower. Departs without cl...

Attributes
ACN	138359
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crq
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 66 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	138359
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

With clearance to taxi from ground control I taxied to run-up area. After run-up I called tower for clearance to takeoff. I received nothing. 2 planes went by me and the pilots waved at me with an apparent advisory to takeoff. Since my radio had worked to contact ground and it appeared functioning, I did not think that it was not functioning/receiving. I took off, thinking the control tower was temporarily out. Coming in to land I proceeded cautiously into the pattern. I landed. After landing I called ground control. I received no answer. I then noticed a green flashing light indicating a clearance to taxi. I then new that the tower was transmitting and my radio had failed in receiving. The controller called me on the ground at FBO. He told me that I did not adhere to proper radio failure operations, that upon landing I was too close to another aircraft that had taken off and requested my pilot certificate #, which I gave him. I fully cooperated, realized my mistake and have discussed thoroughly the situation with a chief flight instrument. I admit my own inexperience and immaturity in properly evaluating the problem. Concerning not following the ATC tower light gun signals,I can say that it was very hazy that afternoon/dusk. Also, I had never seen such light signals before in my training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT COM WITH GND CTL, BUT CANNOT CONTACT TWR. DEPARTS WITHOUT CLRNC, RETURNS TO LAND WITHOUT CLRNC. NOTICES FLASHING GREEN LIGHT WHEN ATTEMPTING CONTACT WITH GND CTL.

Narrative: WITH CLRNC TO TAXI FROM GND CTL I TAXIED TO RUN-UP AREA. AFTER RUN-UP I CALLED TWR FOR CLRNC TO TKOF. I RECEIVED NOTHING. 2 PLANES WENT BY ME AND THE PLTS WAVED AT ME WITH AN APPARENT ADVISORY TO TKOF. SINCE MY RADIO HAD WORKED TO CONTACT GND AND IT APPEARED FUNCTIONING, I DID NOT THINK THAT IT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING/RECEIVING. I TOOK OFF, THINKING THE CTL TWR WAS TEMPORARILY OUT. COMING IN TO LAND I PROCEEDED CAUTIOUSLY INTO THE PATTERN. I LANDED. AFTER LNDG I CALLED GND CTL. I RECEIVED NO ANSWER. I THEN NOTICED A GREEN FLASHING LIGHT INDICATING A CLRNC TO TAXI. I THEN NEW THAT THE TWR WAS XMITTING AND MY RADIO HAD FAILED IN RECEIVING. THE CTLR CALLED ME ON THE GND AT FBO. HE TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT ADHERE TO PROPER RADIO FAILURE OPS, THAT UPON LNDG I WAS TOO CLOSE TO ANOTHER ACFT THAT HAD TAKEN OFF AND REQUESTED MY PLT CERTIFICATE #, WHICH I GAVE HIM. I FULLY COOPERATED, REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND HAVE DISCUSSED THOROUGHLY THE SITUATION WITH A CHIEF FLT INSTR. I ADMIT MY OWN INEXPERIENCE AND IMMATURITY IN PROPERLY EVALUATING THE PROB. CONCERNING NOT FOLLOWING THE ATC TWR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS,I CAN SAY THAT IT WAS VERY HAZY THAT AFTERNOON/DUSK. ALSO, I HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH LIGHT SIGNALS BEFORE IN MY TRNING.

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.

Small aircraft pilot communication with ground control, but cannot contact tower. Departs without clearance, returns to land without clearance. Notices flashing green light when attempting contact with ground control.