Narrative:

The following chain of events led to my departure from dekalb- peachtree airport (pdk) without clearance to taxi or takeoff. Upon engine start at about XA45 am, I tuned the pdk ATIS, and receiving no broadcast, my belief that the tower opened at XB00 am was confirmed. I proceeded to make traffic reports on the CTAF and depart the airport from runway 2R. After clearing the air traffic area switched to the frequency used by traffic rptrs in the metropolitan atlanta area to make position reports. At this time I realized my radios had been improperly set and I called pdk tower for a radio check. They informed me that the tower had been open since XA30 am and they had watched me depart with no clearance. Factors which I believe led to the deviation are: 1) pilot fatigue -- as a backup to the normal traffic pilot, I was not adjusted to the early hours. 2) unfamiliarity with the aircraft -- this was only my second flight as PIC of the specific aircraft. Had I been more familiar with the radios in the aircraft I would have adjusted them properly and received an ATIS which would have alerted me that the tower was already open. 3) pressure to perform well on my first traffic flight without the regular pilot along may have led to hasty preparation. Had I taken more time during the taxi and run-up, I may have detected the radio error before departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC WATCH ACFT TAXIED AND TOOK OFF FROM PDK WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TWR.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING CHAIN OF EVENTS LED TO MY DEP FROM DEKALB- PEACHTREE ARPT (PDK) WITHOUT CLRNC TO TAXI OR TKOF. UPON ENG START AT ABOUT XA45 AM, I TUNED THE PDK ATIS, AND RECEIVING NO BROADCAST, MY BELIEF THAT THE TWR OPENED AT XB00 AM WAS CONFIRMED. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE TFC RPTS ON THE CTAF AND DEPART THE ARPT FROM RWY 2R. AFTER CLRING THE ATA SWITCHED TO THE FREQ USED BY TFC RPTRS IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA TO MAKE POS RPTS. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED MY RADIOS HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY SET AND I CALLED PDK TWR FOR A RADIO CHK. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TWR HAD BEEN OPEN SINCE XA30 AM AND THEY HAD WATCHED ME DEPART WITH NO CLRNC. FACTORS WHICH I BELIEVE LED TO THE DEV ARE: 1) PLT FATIGUE -- AS A BACKUP TO THE NORMAL TFC PLT, I WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE EARLY HRS. 2) UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ACFT -- THIS WAS ONLY MY SECOND FLT AS PIC OF THE SPECIFIC ACFT. HAD I BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE RADIOS IN THE ACFT I WOULD HAVE ADJUSTED THEM PROPERLY AND RECEIVED AN ATIS WHICH WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME THAT THE TWR WAS ALREADY OPEN. 3) PRESSURE TO PERFORM WELL ON MY FIRST TFC FLT WITHOUT THE REGULAR PLT ALONG MAY HAVE LED TO HASTY PREPARATION. HAD I TAKEN MORE TIME DURING THE TAXI AND RUN-UP, I MAY HAVE DETECTED THE RADIO ERROR BEFORE DEP.

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.