Commuter takeoff without clearance believes tower not operating.

Attributes
ACN	164578
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : laf
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	164578
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We called for taxi on ground and tower frequency and received no response from tower. Tower frequency serves as CTAF frequency when tower not open, hours 0700-2400 local. After taxiing to runway 08, we tried again to call tower on both radios. We received no response and saw no lights from tower. At approximately 0704, we called again on tower/CTAF frequency advising departing runway 28, left turn to heading of 100 degrees. After takeoff, we called entering left turn and called left turnout to east. We then climbed to 5500' and picked up our IFR clearance from ZAU to dayton, oh, destination airport. Calling our company in range at dayton, we were advised to call laf tower. Controller told us he was open, heard call and answered us. He also said he shot red light at us from tower. We looked at tower several times and saw no red light. He said he would file a report with flight standards district office. We saw no red light, heard no reply to our taxi/takeoff calls on both radios, and called for takeoff (and taxi) on CTAF frequency, since it appeared tower was closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC BELIEVES TWR NOT OPERATING.

Narrative: WE CALLED FOR TAXI ON GND AND TWR FREQ AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM TWR. TWR FREQ SERVES AS CTAF FREQ WHEN TWR NOT OPEN, HRS 0700-2400 LCL. AFTER TAXIING TO RWY 08, WE TRIED AGAIN TO CALL TWR ON BOTH RADIOS. WE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AND SAW NO LIGHTS FROM TWR. AT APPROX 0704, WE CALLED AGAIN ON TWR/CTAF FREQ ADVISING DEPARTING RWY 28, LEFT TURN TO HDG OF 100 DEGS. AFTER TKOF, WE CALLED ENTERING LEFT TURN AND CALLED LEFT TURNOUT TO E. WE THEN CLBED TO 5500' AND PICKED UP OUR IFR CLRNC FROM ZAU TO DAYTON, OH, DEST ARPT. CALLING OUR COMPANY IN RANGE AT DAYTON, WE WERE ADVISED TO CALL LAF TWR. CTLR TOLD US HE WAS OPEN, HEARD CALL AND ANSWERED US. HE ALSO SAID HE SHOT RED LIGHT AT US FROM TWR. WE LOOKED AT TWR SEVERAL TIMES AND SAW NO RED LIGHT. HE SAID HE WOULD FILE A RPT WITH FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE. WE SAW NO RED LIGHT, HEARD NO REPLY TO OUR TAXI/TKOF CALLS ON BOTH RADIOS, AND CALLED FOR TKOF (AND TAXI) ON CTAF FREQ, SINCE IT APPEARED TWR WAS CLOSED.

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.