Narrative:

I taxied from the ramp at msn to runway 31. While holding short of runway 31, I did observe a single engine cessna on final. The cessna did a touch-and-go and when I contacted tower I was instructed to position and hold on runway 31. I took runway 31, stabilized the engines at takeoff power and released the brakes. Once airborne and at approximately 300 ft AGL, tower contacted me to let me know that I had departed without a takeoff clearance. The single engine cessna that had done the touch-and-go was in a right turn and passed off of my right wing at approximately 1/2 mi and at my altitude. I feel that there were 3 contributing factors involved with this occurrence. 1) an aircraft (citation) belonging to another operator taxied onto the ramp and I was thinking about what it would be like to fly for them. 2) non sterile cockpit due to front seat passenger and our discussion of the other operator. 3) most important, my complacency and not performing the task at hand. This served as a wake-up call for me. The realization of the possible consequences of my actions hit me a few mins later. During that takeoff, I crossed 2 other runways that had been used that day. Quincy, il, comes to mind. 6 souls could have been killed that day on my aircraft. That's all the reason I need to dutifully perform the task at hand.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT DEPARTS MSN WITHOUT TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: I TAXIED FROM THE RAMP AT MSN TO RWY 31. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 31, I DID OBSERVE A SINGLE ENG CESSNA ON FINAL. THE CESSNA DID A TOUCH-AND-GO AND WHEN I CONTACTED TWR I WAS INSTRUCTED TO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 31. I TOOK RWY 31, STABILIZED THE ENGS AT TKOF PWR AND RELEASED THE BRAKES. ONCE AIRBORNE AND AT APPROX 300 FT AGL, TWR CONTACTED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT I HAD DEPARTED WITHOUT A TKOF CLRNC. THE SINGLE ENG CESSNA THAT HAD DONE THE TOUCH-AND-GO WAS IN A R TURN AND PASSED OFF OF MY R WING AT APPROX 1/2 MI AND AT MY ALT. I FEEL THAT THERE WERE 3 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INVOLVED WITH THIS OCCURRENCE. 1) AN ACFT (CITATION) BELONGING TO ANOTHER OPERATOR TAXIED ONTO THE RAMP AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO FLY FOR THEM. 2) NON STERILE COCKPIT DUE TO FRONT SEAT PAX AND OUR DISCUSSION OF THE OTHER OPERATOR. 3) MOST IMPORTANT, MY COMPLACENCY AND NOT PERFORMING THE TASK AT HAND. THIS SERVED AS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR ME. THE REALIZATION OF THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS HIT ME A FEW MINS LATER. DURING THAT TKOF, I CROSSED 2 OTHER RWYS THAT HAD BEEN USED THAT DAY. QUINCY, IL, COMES TO MIND. 6 SOULS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED THAT DAY ON MY ACFT. THAT'S ALL THE REASON I NEED TO DUTIFULLY PERFORM THE TASK AT HAND.

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.