Pilot of small aircraft took off without tower clearance.

Attributes
ACN	162417
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 632 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	162417
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called clearance delivery in 124.75 asked for IFR clearance, was told there would be a change in route, was given a new route. I put ground control frequency in second radio. I thought I changed to ground control. I called and stated that I was at FBO and was ready to depart. I was asked if I could accept an intersection takeoff with 3500' of runway and warned about a 6' high cable at end of runway. I said I could accept this and I thought I was cleared for departure on runway 14. I thought that tower and ground were combined. I took off and I was contacted by fwa tower and questioned about who gave me clearance to takeoff. I told tower that ground gave me clearance. Fwa tower then gave me vectors to my first VOR. I was handed off to south bend and about 15 min later I was told to call fwa tower after landing. Clearance delivery and ground control were combined and I feel this caused confusion. I thought ground and tower frequency were combined. When I was cleared by ground I should have questioned this fact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TOOK OFF WITHOUT TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: I CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY IN 124.75 ASKED FOR IFR CLRNC, WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE IN RTE, WAS GIVEN A NEW RTE. I PUT GND CTL FREQ IN SEC RADIO. I THOUGHT I CHANGED TO GND CTL. I CALLED AND STATED THAT I WAS AT FBO AND WAS READY TO DEPART. I WAS ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT AN INTXN TKOF WITH 3500' OF RWY AND WARNED ABOUT A 6' HIGH CABLE AT END OF RWY. I SAID I COULD ACCEPT THIS AND I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED FOR DEP ON RWY 14. I THOUGHT THAT TWR AND GND WERE COMBINED. I TOOK OFF AND I WAS CONTACTED BY FWA TWR AND QUESTIONED ABOUT WHO GAVE ME CLRNC TO TKOF. I TOLD TWR THAT GND GAVE ME CLRNC. FWA TWR THEN GAVE ME VECTORS TO MY FIRST VOR. I WAS HANDED OFF TO S BEND AND ABOUT 15 MIN LATER I WAS TOLD TO CALL FWA TWR AFTER LNDG. CLRNC DELIVERY AND GND CTL WERE COMBINED AND I FEEL THIS CAUSED CONFUSION. I THOUGHT GND AND TWR FREQ WERE COMBINED. WHEN I WAS CLRED BY GND I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THIS FACT.

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.