E145 FLC CONCERNED WITH HPN COMMENTS AFTER AIRBORNE WHEN TWR ADVISES INBOUND ACFT ARPT CLOSED. TWR ADVISED DEPARTING FLC THAT DEPARTED WAS AT PLT'S DISCRETION.
Synopsis
E145 FLC CONCERNED WITH HPN COMMENTS AFTER AIRBORNE WHEN TWR ADVISES INBOUND ACFT ARPT CLOSED. TWR ADVISED DEPARTING FLC THAT DEPARTED WAS AT PLT'S DISCRETION.
Narrative
AT APPROX XA30 ON DEC/XA/99; WE TAXIED TO RWY 34 AT HPN (WHITE PLAINS/WESTCHESTER COUNTY). THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE OTS; HOWEVER; THE CTRLINE LIGHTS WERE FULL BRIGHT AND IT WAS STILL DAYLIGHT. THE TWR ADVISED US HE WAS NOT ISSUING ANY TKOF CLRNCS AND THAT 'TKOF AT OUR OWN RISK.' I REQUESTED CLARIFICATION AND ASKED IF THAT MEANT THE FIELD WAS UNCTLED AND WE COULD DEPART. HE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE; THE FIELD IS CTLED. TAKE OFF AT YOUR OWN RISK; ADVISE IF ROLLING.' THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THIS AND BOTH AGREED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AT OUR OWN DISCRETION. AFTER DEP; WE HEARD THE TWR ADVISE AN INBOUND ACFT TO 'HOLD OVER THE BRIDGE; THE FIELD IS CLOSED.' I'M AFRAID WE MAY HAVE DEPARTED A CLOSED ARPT AND ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO OUR DECISION TO DEPART. FIRST; THE CTLR WAS UNCLR ON OUR CLRNC. WHEN WE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION; HE WAS HOSTILE AND UNHELPFUL. A SECOND FACTOR WAS OUR DESIRE TO LAUNCH BEFORE DUSK; SO WE WOULD NOT BE STUCK IN HPN FOR THE NIGHT. I FEEL THAT THIS PROB MAY BE AVOIDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE IF WE REQUEST FURTHER CLARIFICATION FROM THE TWR. IF THEY ARE UNWILLING TO CLARIFY; WE MUST REFUSE TO DEPART UNTIL WE'RE CLRLY RELEASED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.