Unauthorized takeoff in a night operation. Unable to establish radio contact with tower.

Attributes
ACN	300030
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 92 flight time total : 164 flight time type : 122
ASRS Report	300030
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : runway non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took my clearance and ATIS on taxi to the hold short line of runway 17L. I couldn't contact with the tower, so I tried to contact with approach, I couldn't so I turned on the ATIS frequency and I didn't hear anything, so I realized that I had lost my radio. I waited for several min in the hold short like in the runway 17L for any light signal, then I returned to the 'aar' FBO with the intention to call the tower and told them my radio problems and wait for the light signals. When I asked the salesman for the tower's phone number he told me that they had already called. They known what did I do and what was my problem, so I understood that the tower knew that I had radio problems, so I returned to my phone, squawked 7600 and taxied again to runway 17L. At that time the tower had been closed. I taxied to the hold short, saw that there was no traffic and I took off, because I thought that I had my clearance already and I saw no red lights from the tower, so as I have said, I thought that I was cleared. I know that I should talk with the tower but the problem was a misunderstanding with the man of the 'FBO.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TKOF IN A NIGHT OP. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR.

Narrative: I TOOK MY CLRNC AND ATIS ON TAXI TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE OF RWY 17L. I COULDN'T CONTACT WITH THE TWR, SO I TRIED TO CONTACT WITH APCH, I COULDN'T SO I TURNED ON THE ATIS FREQ AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING, SO I REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST MY RADIO. I WAITED FOR SEVERAL MIN IN THE HOLD SHORT LIKE IN THE RWY 17L FOR ANY LIGHT SIGNAL, THEN I RETURNED TO THE 'AAR' FBO WITH THE INTENTION TO CALL THE TWR AND TOLD THEM MY RADIO PROBS AND WAIT FOR THE LIGHT SIGNALS. WHEN I ASKED THE SALESMAN FOR THE TWR'S PHONE NUMBER HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD ALREADY CALLED. THEY KNOWN WHAT DID I DO AND WHAT WAS MY PROB, SO I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TWR KNEW THAT I HAD RADIO PROBS, SO I RETURNED TO MY PHONE, SQUAWKED 7600 AND TAXIED AGAIN TO RWY 17L. AT THAT TIME THE TWR HAD BEEN CLOSED. I TAXIED TO THE HOLD SHORT, SAW THAT THERE WAS NO TFC AND I TOOK OFF, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT I HAD MY CLRNC ALREADY AND I SAW NO RED LIGHTS FROM THE TWR, SO AS I HAVE SAID, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS CLRED. I KNOW THAT I SHOULD TALK WITH THE TWR BUT THE PROB WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THE MAN OF THE 'FBO.'

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.