Mdt departs without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	274487
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cid
State Reference	IA
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	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	274487
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	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 departed the ramp area at cedar rapids, ia, with a clearance to taxi to runway 31. As we neared the end of the runway we informed cedar rapids tower that we would like to position our aircraft on the taxiway in the direction of the departure runway to check for thunderstorms. Cedar rapids tower instead told us to taxi onto the runway to do the departure path check. We then took off uneventfully. After takeoff the captain and I questioned each other with regards to whether or not we had been given an official clearance to takeoff. The tower controller told us to switch to departure frequency. Before we switched frequencys we asked the controller if he remembered if he had cleared us for takeoff. He replied that he was not sure that he had. I believe that this problem could have been avoided if we had been given a standard position and hold clearance by the controller. If there are only 2 possible sits for when an airplane is taxied onto a runway -- #1 being cleared for takeoff and #2 being taxied into position and hold, it simplifies the procedure greatly and during this high workload phase of flight will result in less confusion and less likelihood of an aircraft inadvertently taking off without a clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT DEPARTS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED THE RAMP AREA AT CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, WITH A CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 31. AS WE NEARED THE END OF THE RWY WE INFORMED CEDAR RAPIDS TWR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO POS OUR ACFT ON THE TXWY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DEP RWY TO CHK FOR TSTMS. CEDAR RAPIDS TWR INSTEAD TOLD US TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY TO DO THE DEP PATH CHK. WE THEN TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER TKOF THE CAPT AND I QUESTIONED EACH OTHER WITH REGARDS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN AN OFFICIAL CLRNC TO TKOF. THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO SWITCH TO DEP FREQ. BEFORE WE SWITCHED FREQS WE ASKED THE CTLR IF HE REMEMBERED IF HE HAD CLRED US FOR TKOF. HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS NOT SURE THAT HE HAD. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A STANDARD POS AND HOLD CLRNC BY THE CTLR. IF THERE ARE ONLY 2 POSSIBLE SITS FOR WHEN AN AIRPLANE IS TAXIED ONTO A RWY -- #1 BEING CLRED FOR TKOF AND #2 BEING TAXIED INTO POS AND HOLD, IT SIMPLIFIES THE PROC GREATLY AND DURING THIS HIGH WORKLOAD PHASE OF FLT WILL RESULT IN LESS CONFUSION AND LESS LIKELIHOOD OF AN ACFT INADVERTENTLY TAKING OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC.

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.