A PA28 PLT AND A CFI SAFETY OBSERVER ATTEMPT A TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP WITHOUT OBTAINING A TAXI CLRNC FROM GND AT LGB; CA.

Narrative

I AM A FLT INSTRUCTOR; AND I WAS GOING TO ACT AS SAFETY PLT ON AN IFR PROFICIENCY FLT FOR MY FORMER FLT INSTRUCTOR. WE GOT TO THE RUN-UP AND NOTICED AN ABNORMAL INDICATION; SO WE DECIDED TO CANCEL THE FLT. WE WERE FRUSTRATED AND SOMEWHAT FATIGUED; AND WE STARTED DISCUSSING OUR FRUSTRATION WITH THE AIRPLANE AND FLT SCHOOL. WE BEGAN TAXIING BACK; AND WE GOT 1/2 WAY TO THE SCHOOL BEFORE GND CTL ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE BOTH REALIZED WE HAD FORGOT TO GET A CLRNC PRIOR TO TAXI. WE OBTAINED A CLRNC AND FINISHED TAXIING BACK. THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MISTAKE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN PREVENTED HAD EITHER OF US SIMPLY STOPPED AND CONCENTRATED ON THE FLT; NOT ON OTHER THINGS. WE WERE COMPLACENT AND DISTR. WE BOTH UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSUMED THE OTHER WOULD 'TAKE CARE OF IT.' WE ARE BOTH FLT INSTRUCTORS. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD BEEN WITH A STUDENT. I WILL BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL WHEN FLYING WITH A FELLOW CFI IN THE FUTURE. AFTER COMING BACK TO THE FLT SCHOOL; WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE DECIDED TO UTILIZE A STERILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT WHILE WE ARE NEAR THE ARPT OR ON THE GND. WE WILL ALSO AVOID DOING RUN-UP CHKS WHILE TAXIING (SUCH AS SETTING THE HDG INDICATOR TO THE MAGNETIC COMPASS) AND INSTEAD CONCENTRATE SOLELY ON THE TASK AT HAND. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS OUR LOW TIME IN TYPE. WE HAVE LESS THAN 5 COMBINED HRS IN THE SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL ACFT.