Narrative:

The pilot was given clearance to taxi to runway 26. As the pilot started to taxi to runway 26, he was given the option to taxi to taxiway B runway 17R by the ground controller. The pilot read back 'I would like to taxi to runway 17R instead.' the ground controller cleared the pilot to taxi to runway 17R. Runway 17R and runway 26 cross each other. The controller thought that the pilot was going to taxiway B and runway 17R and take off using 1/2 the runway and not crossing runway 26. However, the clearance that was given allowed the pilot to taxi to the end of runway 17R and cross runway 26. No hold short instructions were given. After the pilot crossed runway 26, the ground controller told the pilot 'contact departure on 132.30.' the pilot read back 'you want me to contact departure on 132.30?' the ground controller then told the pilot to 'contact departure on 132.30, have a nice flight.' with the airport not having any other traffic, the pilot took that to be his takeoff clearance and proceeded to takeoff, contacting departure immediately after takeoff like usual. The pilot was then told to contact the tower, where he was told he took off without a clearance. I feel that the ground controller should not have told the pilot about contacting departure while taxiing out and being almost to the end of the runway. This misled the pilot to believe he had been cleared to take off, not ever hearing that type of language from the controller during that phase of taxi. If the ground controller wishes to give that information, he/she should do it while giving the initial taxi clearance as well as letting them know what the tower frequency is. This information is already available to the pilot in ATIS and the pilot told the ground controller he had listened to this. So why repeat the information?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT IS GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND ON REACHING THE DEP RWY IS TOLD BY THE GND CTLR TO CONTACT DEP ON 132 PT 30 WHICH IS CONSTRUED BY THE PLT AS A TKOF CLRNC AND DEPARTS.

Narrative: THE PLT WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 26. AS THE PLT STARTED TO TAXI TO RWY 26, HE WAS GIVEN THE OPTION TO TAXI TO TXWY B RWY 17R BY THE GND CTLR. THE PLT READ BACK 'I WOULD LIKE TO TAXI TO RWY 17R INSTEAD.' THE GND CTLR CLRED THE PLT TO TAXI TO RWY 17R. RWY 17R AND RWY 26 CROSS EACH OTHER. THE CTLR THOUGHT THAT THE PLT WAS GOING TO TXWY B AND RWY 17R AND TAKE OFF USING 1/2 THE RWY AND NOT XING RWY 26. HOWEVER, THE CLRNC THAT WAS GIVEN ALLOWED THE PLT TO TAXI TO THE END OF RWY 17R AND CROSS RWY 26. NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. AFTER THE PLT CROSSED RWY 26, THE GND CTLR TOLD THE PLT 'CONTACT DEP ON 132.30.' THE PLT READ BACK 'YOU WANT ME TO CONTACT DEP ON 132.30?' THE GND CTLR THEN TOLD THE PLT TO 'CONTACT DEP ON 132.30, HAVE A NICE FLT.' WITH THE ARPT NOT HAVING ANY OTHER TFC, THE PLT TOOK THAT TO BE HIS TKOF CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO TKOF, CONTACTING DEP IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF LIKE USUAL. THE PLT WAS THEN TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR, WHERE HE WAS TOLD HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC. I FEEL THAT THE GND CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE TOLD THE PLT ABOUT CONTACTING DEP WHILE TAXIING OUT AND BEING ALMOST TO THE END OF THE RWY. THIS MISLED THE PLT TO BELIEVE HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO TAKE OFF, NOT EVER HEARING THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE FROM THE CTLR DURING THAT PHASE OF TAXI. IF THE GND CTLR WISHES TO GIVE THAT INFO, HE/SHE SHOULD DO IT WHILE GIVING THE INITIAL TAXI CLRNC AS WELL AS LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THE TWR FREQ IS. THIS INFO IS ALREADY AVAILABLE TO THE PLT IN ATIS AND THE PLT TOLD THE GND CTLR HE HAD LISTENED TO THIS. SO WHY REPEAT THE INFO?

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.