Flight crew of BAE3200 taxies without clearance because they believe the tower is closed.

Attributes
ACN	408380
Time
Date	199807
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pah
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	408380
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After engine startup we attempted to contact paducah ground for taxi instructions. After several attempts with no reply we consulted the commercial charts and confirmed the tower was open only part time. At that time we assumed the tower was closed and began our taxi to the runway. The taxi distance was only about 150 yards and did not cross any runways. Upon reaching the hold short line, the tower contacted us and requested that the next time we should get a taxi clearance and said that it was our responsibility to determine if the tower was in operation. At that time we consulted a company publication and determined that the tower was open at XA00. The time was now XA15. Possible causes: our radio xmissions may have been on company frequency or the tower person may have been away from the radio. Suggestion: the commercial chart makes note of part time tower operation with an asterisk but makes no note of the actual times. This would be helpful, as the workload on taxi out is high.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF BAE3200 TAXIES WITHOUT CLRNC BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE TWR IS CLOSED.

Narrative: AFTER ENG STARTUP WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT PADUCAH GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH NO REPLY WE CONSULTED THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS AND CONFIRMED THE TWR WAS OPEN ONLY PART TIME. AT THAT TIME WE ASSUMED THE TWR WAS CLOSED AND BEGAN OUR TAXI TO THE RWY. THE TAXI DISTANCE WAS ONLY ABOUT 150 YARDS AND DID NOT CROSS ANY RWYS. UPON REACHING THE HOLD SHORT LINE, THE TWR CONTACTED US AND REQUESTED THAT THE NEXT TIME WE SHOULD GET A TAXI CLRNC AND SAID THAT IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE IF THE TWR WAS IN OP. AT THAT TIME WE CONSULTED A COMPANY PUB AND DETERMINED THAT THE TWR WAS OPEN AT XA00. THE TIME WAS NOW XA15. POSSIBLE CAUSES: OUR RADIO XMISSIONS MAY HAVE BEEN ON COMPANY FREQ OR THE TWR PERSON MAY HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE RADIO. SUGGESTION: THE COMMERCIAL CHART MAKES NOTE OF PART TIME TWR OP WITH AN ASTERISK BUT MAKES NO NOTE OF THE ACTUAL TIMES. THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL, AS THE WORKLOAD ON TAXI OUT IS HIGH.

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.