Flight crew of a DC9-30 pushed back without tower clearance.

Attributes
ACN	365220
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	365220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were ready to push back from the gate at newburgh airport. I asked the captain if we needed to call for pushback clearance (since the captain was just at this airport last week). He said no. We pushed back and completed our after start checklists when I called to taxi. Tower informed us we never called push and that we were supposed to call. Tower said there was no conflict and cleared us to taxi. The rest of the flight went uneventful. This problem could have been prevented if I just would have called ground for pushback clearance since the captain thought we did not have to and I did not know, I should have made the call. If both pilots are not in full agreement and there is any doubt, doublechk to make sure of your situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC9-30 PUSHED BACK WITHOUT TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE READY TO PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE AT NEWBURGH ARPT. I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE NEEDED TO CALL FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC (SINCE THE CAPT WAS JUST AT THIS ARPT LAST WK). HE SAID NO. WE PUSHED BACK AND COMPLETED OUR AFTER START CHKLISTS WHEN I CALLED TO TAXI. TWR INFORMED US WE NEVER CALLED PUSH AND THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL. TWR SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND CLRED US TO TAXI. THE REST OF THE FLT WENT UNEVENTFUL. THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I JUST WOULD HAVE CALLED GND FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC SINCE THE CAPT THOUGHT WE DID NOT HAVE TO AND I DID NOT KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE MADE THE CALL. IF BOTH PLTS ARE NOT IN FULL AGREEMENT AND THERE IS ANY DOUBT, DOUBLECHK TO MAKE SURE OF YOUR SIT.

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.