Small transport unable contact tower assumes closed and departs to pick up IFR clearance airborne.

Attributes
ACN	216431
Time
Date	199207
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : esf
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	216431
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

How problem arose -- good VFR, no active ground or air traffic communication 1 set on 121.7 and 118.0, communication 2 set on 135.7 and ?, selector on communication 2. IFR flight plan filed at X45 for departure Y00. All normal xmissions conducted on communication 2, receiving no response. Checked approach plate. Noticed CTAF designation. Assumed control tower was closed. Continued transmitting on communication 2. Taxied and took off. How it was discovered -- houston center (135.7) reached me at approximately 2000 ft, informed me what I had done, requested I contact esler field tower on 118.0. Tower reiterated my error, asked if I knew tower was active. My response was that I had known it was a CTAF, but that it was after dusk, and I assumed it was closed. In retrospect, all visual and audio signals were in agreement. I had transmitted (erroneously) on both 121.7 and 118.0 and received no response. There was no active ground or air traffic. There was good VFR. I had checked the approach plate and confirmed CTAF. I admitted my error and apologized.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT UNABLE CONTACT TWR ASSUMES CLOSED AND DEPARTS TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC AIRBORNE.

Narrative: HOW PROBLEM AROSE -- GOOD VFR, NO ACTIVE GND OR AIR TFC COM 1 SET ON 121.7 AND 118.0, COM 2 SET ON 135.7 AND ?, SELECTOR ON COM 2. IFR FLT PLAN FILED AT X45 FOR DEP Y00. ALL NORMAL XMISSIONS CONDUCTED ON COM 2, RECEIVING NO RESPONSE. CHKED APCH PLATE. NOTICED CTAF DESIGNATION. ASSUMED CTL TWR WAS CLOSED. CONTINUED XMITTING ON COM 2. TAXIED AND TOOK OFF. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED -- HOUSTON CTR (135.7) REACHED ME AT APPROX 2000 FT, INFORMED ME WHAT I HAD DONE, REQUESTED I CONTACT ESLER FIELD TWR ON 118.0. TWR REITERATED MY ERROR, ASKED IF I KNEW TWR WAS ACTIVE. MY RESPONSE WAS THAT I HAD KNOWN IT WAS A CTAF, BUT THAT IT WAS AFTER DUSK, AND I ASSUMED IT WAS CLOSED. IN RETROSPECT, ALL VISUAL AND AUDIO SIGNALS WERE IN AGREEMENT. I HAD XMITTED (ERRONEOUSLY) ON BOTH 121.7 AND 118.0 AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THERE WAS NO ACTIVE GND OR AIR TFC. THERE WAS GOOD VFR. I HAD CHKED THE APCH PLATE AND CONFIRMED CTAF. I ADMITTED MY ERROR AND APOLOGIZED.

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.