Air taxi flight follows company without knowing procedures of the departure.

Attributes
ACN	180950
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rnt
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 148
ASRS Report	180950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was ready for takeoff behind another aircraft operated by our company. The pilot in the company aircraft ahead radioed tower that he was taxiing for takeoff to the northwest (downwind); he then turned southeast (upwind) and radioed tower a request for a named-departure clearance ('washington one'); he received that takeoff clearance and took off. I then radioed tower that I was ready for takeoff 'following company traffic;' I received takeoff clearance and took off. I did not understand what a 'washington one' clearance was, but I assumed that it meant takeoff to the south (since the company pilot in the aircraft ahead turned in that direction). I also assumed that the company pilot ahead understood the named clearance he requested (he is a pilot of relatively greater experience than I). As it turned out, the company pilot ahead did not understand the procedure for the clearance he requested and what resulted was a traffic conflict with landing aircraft. Recurrence of this and similar situations can be prevented by the following: never execute any procedure through reliance on the experience of another (even a senior pilot) unless you yourself have a personal understanding of how to execute the procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI FLT FOLLOWS COMPANY WITHOUT KNOWING PROCS OF THE DEP.

Narrative: I WAS READY FOR TKOF BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT OPERATED BY OUR COMPANY. THE PLT IN THE COMPANY ACFT AHEAD RADIOED TWR THAT HE WAS TAXIING FOR TKOF TO THE NW (DOWNWIND); HE THEN TURNED SE (UPWIND) AND RADIOED TWR A REQUEST FOR A NAMED-DEP CLRNC ('WASHINGTON ONE'); HE RECEIVED THAT TKOF CLRNC AND TOOK OFF. I THEN RADIOED TWR THAT I WAS READY FOR TKOF 'FOLLOWING COMPANY TFC;' I RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC AND TOOK OFF. I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT A 'WASHINGTON ONE' CLRNC WAS, BUT I ASSUMED THAT IT MEANT TKOF TO THE S (SINCE THE COMPANY PLT IN THE ACFT AHEAD TURNED IN THAT DIRECTION). I ALSO ASSUMED THAT THE COMPANY PLT AHEAD UNDERSTOOD THE NAMED CLRNC HE REQUESTED (HE IS A PLT OF RELATIVELY GREATER EXPERIENCE THAN I). AS IT TURNED OUT, THE COMPANY PLT AHEAD DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROC FOR THE CLRNC HE REQUESTED AND WHAT RESULTED WAS A TFC CONFLICT WITH LNDG ACFT. RECURRENCE OF THIS AND SIMILAR SITUATIONS CAN BE PREVENTED BY THE FOLLOWING: NEVER EXECUTE ANY PROC THROUGH RELIANCE ON THE EXPERIENCE OF ANOTHER (EVEN A SENIOR PLT) UNLESS YOU YOURSELF HAVE A PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO EXECUTE THE PROC.

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.