Narrative:

Following completion of deicing, advised by ice pad controller to contact ground for further taxi instructions. Ice pad was located immediately adjacent to departure runway. Ground control was saturated, and despite numerous attempts to 'break-in,' was unable to make contact. After 5-8 mins, captain unilaterally elected to taxi clear of ice pad and onto primary taxiway leading to departure runway. Advised by first officer we did not have clearance from ground. Captain directed change to tower frequency. Remainder of flight crew was uneventful. There were no observed safety issues during this situation. First officer advised captain to be more patient.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CAPT TOLD THE FO TO CONTACT THE ATCT LCL CTLR WHEN THEY WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE GND CTLR, BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF DEICING, ADVISED BY ICE PAD CTLR TO CONTACT GND FOR FURTHER TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. ICE PAD WAS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO DEP RWY. GND CTL WAS SATURATED, AND DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO 'BREAK-IN,' WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. AFTER 5-8 MINS, CAPT UNILATERALLY ELECTED TO TAXI CLR OF ICE PAD AND ONTO PRIMARY TXWY LEADING TO DEP RWY. ADVISED BY FO WE DID NOT HAVE CLRNC FROM GND. CAPT DIRECTED CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. REMAINDER OF FLT CREW WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE NO OBSERVED SAFETY ISSUES DURING THIS SIT. FO ADVISED CAPT TO BE MORE PATIENT.

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.