Narrative:

After deicing at gate, I asked first officer for push clearance. He said we don't need clearance to push, just to taxi. Ground crew pushed us back and after engine start, I switched to ground frequency and they were calling us. We were pushed back onto taxiway H and blocking traffic. Ground control was upset and told us not to push back without clearance. On page 10-7Z under gate departure, the messages states, 'do not move forward after departing gate without receiving clearance from ground.' we understood this to mean push was not required. This statement is confusing and caused us to push back onto an active taxiway without clearance with poor visibility and tower not able to see us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 PUSHES BACK WITHOUT CLRNC AT IND DUE TO AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE ON COMPANY ARPT CHART.

Narrative: AFTER DEICING AT GATE, I ASKED FO FOR PUSH CLRNC. HE SAID WE DON'T NEED CLRNC TO PUSH, JUST TO TAXI. GND CREW PUSHED US BACK AND AFTER ENG START, I SWITCHED TO GND FREQ AND THEY WERE CALLING US. WE WERE PUSHED BACK ONTO TXWY H AND BLOCKING TFC. GND CTL WAS UPSET AND TOLD US NOT TO PUSH BACK WITHOUT CLRNC. ON PAGE 10-7Z UNDER GATE DEP, THE MESSAGES STATES, 'DO NOT MOVE FORWARD AFTER DEPARTING GATE WITHOUT RECEIVING CLRNC FROM GND.' WE UNDERSTOOD THIS TO MEAN PUSH WAS NOT REQUIRED. THIS STATEMENT IS CONFUSING AND CAUSED US TO PUSH BACK ONTO AN ACTIVE TXWY WITHOUT CLRNC WITH POOR VISIBILITY AND TWR NOT ABLE TO SEE US.

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.