Small aircraft pilot misunderstood call sign for takeoff clearance and took off without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	351460
Time
Date	199610
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	351460
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

On the above date at fll, I requested straight out departure and left turn to pompano airport runway 9R. Controller advised me to hold short. Mins later I assumed that he call my aircraft, abc cleared for immediate takeoff straight out departure. Still assuming that the clearance was for me, I took off by replying abc cleared for takeoff straight out departure. After takeoff controller asked me, when landing at pompano, to give him a call. I spoke to the controller in pompano. He advised me that I took off without a clearance and the clearance that I assumed was for me, was for another aircraft with similar number (abd) on runway 9L. My lesson is to make sure that a clearance was intended for me, by verifying aircraft number and runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMALL ACFT PLT MISUNDERSTOOD CALL SIGN FOR TKOF CLRNC AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON THE ABOVE DATE AT FLL, I REQUESTED STRAIGHT OUT DEP AND L TURN TO POMPANO ARPT RWY 9R. CTLR ADVISED ME TO HOLD SHORT. MINS LATER I ASSUMED THAT HE CALL MY ACFT, ABC CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF STRAIGHT OUT DEP. STILL ASSUMING THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ME, I TOOK OFF BY REPLYING ABC CLRED FOR TKOF STRAIGHT OUT DEP. AFTER TKOF CTLR ASKED ME, WHEN LNDG AT POMPANO, TO GIVE HIM A CALL. I SPOKE TO THE CTLR IN POMPANO. HE ADVISED ME THAT I TOOK OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC AND THE CLRNC THAT I ASSUMED WAS FOR ME, WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR NUMBER (ABD) ON RWY 9L. MY LESSON IS TO MAKE SURE THAT A CLRNC WAS INTENDED FOR ME, BY VERIFYING ACFT NUMBER AND RWY.

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.