Narrative:

Our company recently started a large midday cargo operation at cae airport. Our ramp is along taxiway P, a narrow taxiway not normally used by acrs but normally by GA aircraft going to and from the FBO. On my first departure from cae I called for pushback onto taxiway P. I was told that pushback from the ramp was at our discretion. I presumed that pushback clearance was not required. On this date I pushed back without clearance and was admonished by the ground controller that I had pushed back onto a movement area without clearance. The error occurred because I presumed when the ground controller said 'pushback from the ramp is at your discretion' that that was a blanket policy rather than a clearance for that departure only.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PUSHBACK FROM RAMP.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY RECENTLY STARTED A LARGE MIDDAY CARGO OP AT CAE ARPT. OUR RAMP IS ALONG TXWY P, A NARROW TXWY NOT NORMALLY USED BY ACRS BUT NORMALLY BY GA ACFT GOING TO AND FROM THE FBO. ON MY FIRST DEP FROM CAE I CALLED FOR PUSHBACK ONTO TXWY P. I WAS TOLD THAT PUSHBACK FROM THE RAMP WAS AT OUR DISCRETION. I PRESUMED THAT PUSHBACK CLRNC WAS NOT REQUIRED. ON THIS DATE I PUSHED BACK WITHOUT CLRNC AND WAS ADMONISHED BY THE GND CTLR THAT I HAD PUSHED BACK ONTO A MOVEMENT AREA WITHOUT CLRNC. THE ERROR OCCURRED BECAUSE I PRESUMED WHEN THE GND CTLR SAID 'PUSHBACK FROM THE RAMP IS AT YOUR DISCRETION' THAT THAT WAS A BLANKET POLICY RATHER THAN A CLRNC FOR THAT DEP ONLY.

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.