GA SMA TAXIED AND MADE AN UNAUTH TKOF FROM EYW WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR.

Narrative

I WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE EYW ON THE MORNING OF 1/SUN/92. I HAD CONTACTED FLT SVC SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 1/THU/92 DUE TO THE MAJOR STORM SYS OVER THE E COAST. THAT STORM HAD CAUSED ME TO CANCEL OUR PLANNED TRIP HOME TO GAI ON BOTH 1/FRI AND 1/SAT. THE LAST TIME I CONTACTED FLT SVC WAS ABOUT XA30 AM ON 1/SUN. I RECEIVED A COMPLETE BRIEFING AND FILED A VFR PLAN FOR THE FIRST LEG OF OUR TRIP TO SAV. AFTER LOADING I STARTED UP AND TRIED TO CONTACT GND CTL AND THE TWR. IT WAS ABOUT XC15 AM. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I DID NOT TRY UNICOM AS THE FBO WAS STILL CLOSED. AT ABOUT SC25 I TAXIED TO THE RWY STOPPING SHORT TO DO A COMPLETE RUN UP. AT THE COMPLETION; I AGAIN TRIED TO CONTACT THE TWR WITHOUT RESPONSE. I LOOKED AT THE TWR; DIDN'T SEE ANY MOVEMENT AND CONCLUDED THAT NOBODY WAS THERE. I COMMENTED TO MY PAXS THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL SINCE THE TWR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN OP AT THAT HOUR. WE WERE CONCERNED THAT OUR RADIOS HADN'T BEEN CHKED BUT I DECIDED I COULD QUICKLY CHK THEM AFTER TKOF. AT XC35 I TOOK RWY 9 AND TOOK OFF. AT XC41 I CONTACTED MIAMI RADIO ON 122.2; USING BOTH THE #1 AND #2 RADIOS TO OPEN THE FLT PLAN AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT MIAMI CTR ON 132.2. CTR ASSIGNED A XPONDER CODE FOR FLT FOLLOWING. A SHORT TIME LATER MIAMI CTR CONTACTED ME WITH THE MESSAGE THAT EYW TWR WANTED MY NAME AND ADDRESS SO THEY COULD WRITE ME UP FOR TAXIING AND TAKING OFF WITHOUT CLRNC. I TOLD CTR WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THAT EYW TWR COULD GET MY NAME AND ADDRESS FROM THE FLT PLAN I HAD FILED. CTR THEN SAID THAT THE TWR REQUESTED TO KNOW WHY I HAD DISREGARDED THE RED LIGHT THEY GAVE ME PRIOR TO TKOF. I NEVER SAW THAT LIGHT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE TWR FROM THE TIE DOWN AREA; THE RUN UP AREA; THE TAXIWAY; OR WHEN I LAST TRIED TO CONTACT THEM PRIOR TO TKOF. I ALSO ADVISED CTR THAT ONCE ON THE RWY I DID NOT LOOK AT THE TWR AS I WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE TKOF AND HAD NO REASON TO EXPECT A LIGHT FROM THE TWR. THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMENT FROM CTR; ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE TROUBLE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AND NEVER DID GET THE HDOF TO FT MEYER APCH. I CONTACTED FT MEYER ON MY OWN AFTER LOSING COM WITH CTR AND FT MEYER PICKED ME UP FOR THE CONTINUATION OF MY FLT. THEY HAD BEEN EXPECTING ME. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING I DID IN PREPARATION FOR THE FLT; IN THE TKOF; FLT AND SUBSEQUENT COMS WAS PROPER FOR BOTH SAFETY AND ACCORDING TO REGS. THE MISS IN COMS WITH EYW TWR WAS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO MY CALLS ON EITHER THE GND OR TWR FREQS; NOT BECAUSE OF MY DISREGARD FOR THEIR EFFORTS. I HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF EYW MANY TIMES AND I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE OPS THERE. I WOULD NOT HAVE ENTERED CTLED AREAS ON THE GND; OR TAKEN OFF WITHOUT CONTACTING GND CTL OR THE TWR. IT WAS THEIR MISS; NOT MINE.