Narrative:

I was departing destin, fl, airport on an IFR flight plan. Destin has a remote radio to ATC on which to receive IFR clrncs. Destin does not have a tower, but uses a CTAF for local traffic. Being a resort destination, the destin airport was very busy with numerous aircraft using the remoted frequency, trying to get their IFR departure clrncs. 2 aircraft were ahead of me at the extreme departure end of the runway, waiting for their departure clearance, but I received my departure clearance ('cleared for immediate departure runway xx') before those 2 aircraft received theirs. There was inadequate room to taxi around those 2 aircraft when I got my departure clearance, so I departed at an intersection a short distance from the extreme end of the runway. As I was climbing out, I heard another airplane complain about my departure. Based on the radio xmissions, it appears I may have pulled out in front of a plane on final. However, I did not witness a plane conducting a go around on either side of me and did not see a plane on final as I pulled onto the runway. Nevertheless, I believe I erred in failing to monitor the local CTAF before departure and probably failed to look long enough for traffic on final before departing. I believe that I became momentarily confused by the numerous airplanes talking on the remote frequency trying to get IFR departure clrncs. When ATC announced I was cleared for immediate departure, I reacted as if I were talking to a tower rather than a remote frequency. I realize this is no excuse for failing to take the time to monitor and announce on the CTAF, as well as to make a more thorough observation of the approach end of the runway before entering the runway. For pilots who are unaccustomed to using remoted frequencys at airports. I think it is easy to have a momentary lapse of attention and believe that the person who has just cleared you to take off is in control of the airport, ie, like a tower as if, this person 'sees' the airport activity, including planes on final. At my home airport, I receive IFR clearance over the cell phone and have never confused that clearance with the presence of a tower. But receiving the clearance over the radio can leave the impression that one is talking to a tower. Of course, this is not the case. If an error such as mine is a frequent cause of accidents, it might be worthwhile if ATC, when using a remote frequency, added a few words such as, 'cleared for takeoff when you are able. Change to CTAF.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OA28 DEP FROM NON TWRED DT'S ARPT UTILIZES INTXN TKOF WITHOUT ADHERENCE TO CTAF ETIQUETTE AND DEPARTS IN FRONT OF A LNDG ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING DESTIN, FL, ARPT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. DESTIN HAS A REMOTE RADIO TO ATC ON WHICH TO RECEIVE IFR CLRNCS. DESTIN DOES NOT HAVE A TWR, BUT USES A CTAF FOR LCL TFC. BEING A RESORT DEST, THE DESTIN ARPT WAS VERY BUSY WITH NUMEROUS ACFT USING THE REMOTED FREQ, TRYING TO GET THEIR IFR DEP CLRNCS. 2 ACFT WERE AHEAD OF ME AT THE EXTREME DEP END OF THE RWY, WAITING FOR THEIR DEP CLRNC, BUT I RECEIVED MY DEP CLRNC ('CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE DEP RWY XX') BEFORE THOSE 2 ACFT RECEIVED THEIRS. THERE WAS INADEQUATE ROOM TO TAXI AROUND THOSE 2 ACFT WHEN I GOT MY DEP CLRNC, SO I DEPARTED AT AN INTXN A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE EXTREME END OF THE RWY. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, I HEARD ANOTHER AIRPLANE COMPLAIN ABOUT MY DEP. BASED ON THE RADIO XMISSIONS, IT APPEARS I MAY HAVE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF A PLANE ON FINAL. HOWEVER, I DID NOT WITNESS A PLANE CONDUCTING A GAR ON EITHER SIDE OF ME AND DID NOT SEE A PLANE ON FINAL AS I PULLED ONTO THE RWY. NEVERTHELESS, I BELIEVE I ERRED IN FAILING TO MONITOR THE LCL CTAF BEFORE DEP AND PROBABLY FAILED TO LOOK LONG ENOUGH FOR TFC ON FINAL BEFORE DEPARTING. I BELIEVE THAT I BECAME MOMENTARILY CONFUSED BY THE NUMEROUS AIRPLANES TALKING ON THE REMOTE FREQ TRYING TO GET IFR DEP CLRNCS. WHEN ATC ANNOUNCED I WAS CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE DEP, I REACTED AS IF I WERE TALKING TO A TWR RATHER THAN A REMOTE FREQ. I REALIZE THIS IS NO EXCUSE FOR FAILING TO TAKE THE TIME TO MONITOR AND ANNOUNCE ON THE CTAF, AS WELL AS TO MAKE A MORE THOROUGH OBSERVATION OF THE APCH END OF THE RWY BEFORE ENTERING THE RWY. FOR PLTS WHO ARE UNACCUSTOMED TO USING REMOTED FREQS AT ARPTS. I THINK IT IS EASY TO HAVE A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF ATTN AND BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS JUST CLRED YOU TO TAKE OFF IS IN CTL OF THE ARPT, IE, LIKE A TWR AS IF, THIS PERSON 'SEES' THE ARPT ACTIVITY, INCLUDING PLANES ON FINAL. AT MY HOME ARPT, I RECEIVE IFR CLRNC OVER THE CELL PHONE AND HAVE NEVER CONFUSED THAT CLRNC WITH THE PRESENCE OF A TWR. BUT RECEIVING THE CLRNC OVER THE RADIO CAN LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT ONE IS TALKING TO A TWR. OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. IF AN ERROR SUCH AS MINE IS A FREQUENT CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS, IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE IF ATC, WHEN USING A REMOTE FREQ, ADDED A FEW WORDS SUCH AS, 'CLRED FOR TKOF WHEN YOU ARE ABLE. CHANGE TO CTAF.'

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.