C421 pilot taxied into position at apa without clearance from local. Reporter cites confusion regard...

Attributes
ACN	705274
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apa.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 2472 flight time type : 286
ASRS Report	705274
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was commencing an IFR flight in a C421. After run-up; I contacted ground that run-up was complete. I 'believed' I heard instructions to 'position and hold; monitor tower.' instructions 'may' have been; 'proceed to hold line; monitor tower.' after proceeding onto the active; runway 17L; after checking for landing traffic; I questioned the instructions with tower. I was cleared for takeoff by tower; and proceeded to take off. After takeoff; I was given a heading of 300 degrees and told that the answer to my question would be answered by the tower at destination. I was not contacted or instructed at all by tower personnel at destination upon arrival. In retrospect; I believe this could have been a serious situation; had there been conflicting landing traffic. Again; in retrospect; I should have clarified the instruction prior to taking the active. At the time I took the active; I believed the instruction to be correct. In the future I will not proceed if there is any hint of unclear communication; until such time as the instructions and intentions are 100% understood by both myself and ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C421 PLT TAXIED INTO POS AT APA WITHOUT CLRNC FROM LCL. RPTR CITES CONFUSION REGARDING GND CTL INSTRUCTIONS AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Narrative: I WAS COMMENCING AN IFR FLT IN A C421. AFTER RUN-UP; I CONTACTED GND THAT RUN-UP WAS COMPLETE. I 'BELIEVED' I HEARD INSTRUCTIONS TO 'POS AND HOLD; MONITOR TWR.' INSTRUCTIONS 'MAY' HAVE BEEN; 'PROCEED TO HOLD LINE; MONITOR TWR.' AFTER PROCEEDING ONTO THE ACTIVE; RWY 17L; AFTER CHKING FOR LNDG TFC; I QUESTIONED THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH TWR. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF BY TWR; AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. AFTER TKOF; I WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 300 DEGS AND TOLD THAT THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION WOULD BE ANSWERED BY THE TWR AT DEST. I WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INSTRUCTED AT ALL BY TWR PERSONNEL AT DEST UPON ARR. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SITUATION; HAD THERE BEEN CONFLICTING LNDG TFC. AGAIN; IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE INSTRUCTION PRIOR TO TAKING THE ACTIVE. AT THE TIME I TOOK THE ACTIVE; I BELIEVED THE INSTRUCTION TO BE CORRECT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL NOT PROCEED IF THERE IS ANY HINT OF UNCLEAR COM; UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE INSTRUCTIONS AND INTENTIONS ARE 100% UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH MYSELF AND ATC.

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.

C421 pilot taxied into position at apa without clearance from local. Reporter cites confusion regarding ground control instructions as a contributing factor.