Narrative:

I was the first officer on an airlines flight departing agana airport guam for nagoya, japan on mar/thu/92. We departed the gate, started the engines and asked ramp control for further taxi to 6L. We were advised to switch to tower (118.1) and call for further taxi. I did so, and we were cleared to back taxi on 6L into position and hold. As we taxied back up the runway all of the takeoff checklists including the 'final items' were completed. As we approached the arrival end of runway 6L, I began briefing the takeoff since the captain and I had agreed that I should do most of the flying on this and other trips. As the aircraft completed its 180 degrees turn and became lined up on the centerline, he said 'it's all yours.' I advanced the thrust levers and commenced a normal takeoff. We were a little late being handed off to departure control and after we were, the controller notified us that we had taken off without a clearance. We looked at each other and the captain asked me if I had received takeoff clearance. I had to admit 'no.' I'm fairly sure it was my fault since the first officer normally handles the radio while on the ground. That function is passed to the PNF when takeoff commences. I had just completed my initial operating experience the previous month and had about 81 hours as first officer at the time. I was totally concentrated on the impending takeoff to the point where I made a 'rookie' mistake that could have had serious consequences had there been conflicting traffic. From now on, I believe we should wait to do the 'final items' of the takeoff checklist until takeoff clearance is received. Linking those 2 elements of the evolution together may help prevent such a dumb thing from happening again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC. UNAUTHORIZED TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO ON AN AIRLINES FLT DEPARTING AGANA ARPT GUAM FOR NAGOYA, JAPAN ON MAR/THU/92. WE DEPARTED THE GATE, STARTED THE ENGS AND ASKED RAMP CTL FOR FURTHER TAXI TO 6L. WE WERE ADVISED TO SWITCH TO TWR (118.1) AND CALL FOR FURTHER TAXI. I DID SO, AND WE WERE CLRED TO BACK TAXI ON 6L INTO POS AND HOLD. AS WE TAXIED BACK UP THE RWY ALL OF THE TKOF CHKLISTS INCLUDING THE 'FINAL ITEMS' WERE COMPLETED. AS WE APCHED THE ARR END OF RWY 6L, I BEGAN BRIEFING THE TKOF SINCE THE CAPT AND I HAD AGREED THAT I SHOULD DO MOST OF THE FLYING ON THIS AND OTHER TRIPS. AS THE ACFT COMPLETED ITS 180 DEGS TURN AND BECAME LINED UP ON THE CTRLINE, HE SAID 'IT'S ALL YOURS.' I ADVANCED THE THRUST LEVERS AND COMMENCED A NORMAL TKOF. WE WERE A LITTLE LATE BEING HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL AND AFTER WE WERE, THE CTLR NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD TAKEN OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC. WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND THE CAPT ASKED ME IF I HAD RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. I HAD TO ADMIT 'NO.' I'M FAIRLY SURE IT WAS MY FAULT SINCE THE FO NORMALLY HANDLES THE RADIO WHILE ON THE GND. THAT FUNCTION IS PASSED TO THE PNF WHEN TKOF COMMENCES. I HAD JUST COMPLETED MY INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND HAD ABOUT 81 HRS AS FO AT THE TIME. I WAS TOTALLY CONCENTRATED ON THE IMPENDING TKOF TO THE POINT WHERE I MADE A 'ROOKIE' MISTAKE THAT COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES HAD THERE BEEN CONFLICTING TFC. FROM NOW ON, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD WAIT TO DO THE 'FINAL ITEMS' OF THE TKOF CHKLIST UNTIL TKOF CLRNC IS RECEIVED. LINKING THOSE 2 ELEMENTS OF THE EVOLUTION TOGETHER MAY HELP PREVENT SUCH A DUMB THING FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.