Controller failed to issue clearance for takeoff. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	152304
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	152304
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Takeoff clearance from tower after contact with ground: me: 'helicopter X with ATIS (first letter) for sierra route (specific helicopter route out or into control zone).' tower: 'helicopter X cleared for sierra route.' me: turned aircraft into takeoff position, waited for break in tower communication with other aircraft and called tower for takeoff clearance. Tower: 'helicopter X cleared for sierra route.' me: 'understand helicopter X cleared for sierra route, helicopter X on the go.' paused prior to departing (waiting expecting tower to respond if not cleared for takeoff), then departed. Upon reaching hudson river called tower: me: 'helicopter X clear (of the sierra route).' tower: 'helicopter X, roger.' did helicopter have clearance to depart based on regulations? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter informed about ATC handbook requirements about clearance for takeoff. Reporter told to contact the tower for any special clearance interpretation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FAILED TO ISSUE CLRNC FOR TKOF. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: TKOF CLRNC FROM TWR AFTER CONTACT WITH GND: ME: 'HELI X WITH ATIS (FIRST LETTER) FOR SIERRA RTE (SPECIFIC HELI RTE OUT OR INTO CTL ZONE).' TWR: 'HELI X CLRED FOR SIERRA RTE.' ME: TURNED ACFT INTO TKOF POS, WAITED FOR BREAK IN TWR COM WITH OTHER ACFT AND CALLED TWR FOR TKOF CLRNC. TWR: 'HELI X CLRED FOR SIERRA RTE.' ME: 'UNDERSTAND HELI X CLRED FOR SIERRA RTE, HELI X ON THE GO.' PAUSED PRIOR TO DEPARTING (WAITING EXPECTING TWR TO RESPOND IF NOT CLRED FOR TKOF), THEN DEPARTED. UPON REACHING HUDSON RIVER CALLED TWR: ME: 'HELI X CLR (OF THE SIERRA RTE).' TWR: 'HELI X, ROGER.' DID HELI HAVE CLRNC TO DEPART BASED ON REGS? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR INFORMED ABOUT ATC HANDBOOK REQUIREMENTS ABOUT CLRNC FOR TKOF. RPTR TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR ANY SPECIAL CLRNC INTERP.

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.