Narrative:

We were leaving the ramp (ATC non movement area) at sba; had been properly marshalled out by our ground crew and had begun a 180 degree turn to head for the taxiway. We were about ready to contact ground; when air carrier Y called for taxi. They had not yet been marshalled out by their rampers; but ground cleared them for taxi. We tried once again to contact ground; but were again blocked by another aircraft. At this point we stopped so as not to proceed to the taxiway without a clearance. We attempted a third time to contact ground control; when air carrier Y jumped on the radio again; extremely indignant; claiming that we had 'cut them off;' despite the fact we had begun moving long before he had gotten a clearance. Ground then cleared us to taxi; and instructed air carrier Y to follow us. Air carrier Y got extremely hostile; and asked ATC to 'pull the tapes.' my first officer and I looked at each other; puzzled; and I got on the radio to verify that the ramp was; in fact; a non movement area. The controller assured us that it was. We taxied to the runway; and the controller said 'air carrier X; after takeoff fly...' (this part of the transmission was blocked; possibly deliberately); '...runway 25 cleared; for takeoff.' first officer thought he heard '...heading 140...' during the blocked portion; so he read that back; tower affirmed and we were cleared for takeoff. Although I cannot prove that the transmission was deliberately blocked; there was not the usual backgnd noise usually associated with an accidental microphone key; it was extremely quiet; as the cockpit of a parked jet would be. Also; the transmission had no static; so it was extremely close by. This could have created an extremely hazardous condition; as after we turned after takeoff; there was traffic immediately off to our left. Although we had complied with the ATC instructions as they were issued; had we misunderstood the clearance; it could have resulted in a midair collision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW HAS DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH GND CTLR DUE TO ANOTHER ACFT BLOCKING THE FREQ AT SBA.

Narrative: WE WERE LEAVING THE RAMP (ATC NON MOVEMENT AREA) AT SBA; HAD BEEN PROPERLY MARSHALLED OUT BY OUR GND CREW AND HAD BEGUN A 180 DEG TURN TO HEAD FOR THE TXWY. WE WERE ABOUT READY TO CONTACT GND; WHEN ACR Y CALLED FOR TAXI. THEY HAD NOT YET BEEN MARSHALLED OUT BY THEIR RAMPERS; BUT GND CLRED THEM FOR TAXI. WE TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO CONTACT GND; BUT WERE AGAIN BLOCKED BY ANOTHER ACFT. AT THIS POINT WE STOPPED SO AS NOT TO PROCEED TO THE TXWY WITHOUT A CLRNC. WE ATTEMPTED A THIRD TIME TO CONTACT GND CTL; WHEN ACR Y JUMPED ON THE RADIO AGAIN; EXTREMELY INDIGNANT; CLAIMING THAT WE HAD 'CUT THEM OFF;' DESPITE THE FACT WE HAD BEGUN MOVING LONG BEFORE HE HAD GOTTEN A CLRNC. GND THEN CLRED US TO TAXI; AND INSTRUCTED ACR Y TO FOLLOW US. ACR Y GOT EXTREMELY HOSTILE; AND ASKED ATC TO 'PULL THE TAPES.' MY FO AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER; PUZZLED; AND I GOT ON THE RADIO TO VERIFY THAT THE RAMP WAS; IN FACT; A NON MOVEMENT AREA. THE CTLR ASSURED US THAT IT WAS. WE TAXIED TO THE RWY; AND THE CTLR SAID 'ACR X; AFTER TKOF FLY...' (THIS PART OF THE XMISSION WAS BLOCKED; POSSIBLY DELIBERATELY); '...RWY 25 CLRED; FOR TKOF.' FO THOUGHT HE HEARD '...HDG 140...' DURING THE BLOCKED PORTION; SO HE READ THAT BACK; TWR AFFIRMED AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. ALTHOUGH I CANNOT PROVE THAT THE XMISSION WAS DELIBERATELY BLOCKED; THERE WAS NOT THE USUAL BACKGND NOISE USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN ACCIDENTAL MIKE KEY; IT WAS EXTREMELY QUIET; AS THE COCKPIT OF A PARKED JET WOULD BE. ALSO; THE XMISSION HAD NO STATIC; SO IT WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE BY. THIS COULD HAVE CREATED AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION; AS AFTER WE TURNED AFTER TKOF; THERE WAS TFC IMMEDIATELY OFF TO OUR L. ALTHOUGH WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE ATC INSTRUCTIONS AS THEY WERE ISSUED; HAD WE MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC; IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.