Air carrier large transport forgot to request clearance release from ATC before takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	171079
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	171079
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During preflight preparation I usually load the ACARS and in so doing send a miscellaneous 4 entry which automatically uplinks the ATC en route clearance. However, the captain loaded the ACARS and the clearance request was never sent. We ran the before starting engines checklist which includes transponder. This is where both of us should have caught our omission. The captain replied, 'set and checked,' I looked at the transponder, but I was looking to see if a TCAS was installed which is part of the transponder call on the checklist. I did not notice 1200 set in the transponder. This was our eighth trip dfw to jac this month and we already knew our route, departure plan, and departure frequencys, so we didn't really miss the ATC clearance until we were airborne and departure control gave us our transponder squawk. I pulled up our ATC clearance on the ACARS and verified our route. I guess this whole experience shows how easy it is to become complacent and the importance to verify checklist responses.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FORGOT TO REQUEST CLRNC RELEASE FROM ATC BEFORE TKOF.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT PREPARATION I USUALLY LOAD THE ACARS AND IN SO DOING SEND A MISC 4 ENTRY WHICH AUTOMATICALLY UPLINKS THE ATC ENRTE CLRNC. HOWEVER, THE CAPT LOADED THE ACARS AND THE CLRNC REQUEST WAS NEVER SENT. WE RAN THE BEFORE STARTING ENGS CHKLIST WHICH INCLUDES XPONDER. THIS IS WHERE BOTH OF US SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT OUR OMISSION. THE CAPT REPLIED, 'SET AND CHKED,' I LOOKED AT THE XPONDER, BUT I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF A TCAS WAS INSTALLED WHICH IS PART OF THE XPONDER CALL ON THE CHKLIST. I DID NOT NOTICE 1200 SET IN THE XPONDER. THIS WAS OUR EIGHTH TRIP DFW TO JAC THIS MONTH AND WE ALREADY KNEW OUR RTE, DEP PLAN, AND DEP FREQS, SO WE DIDN'T REALLY MISS THE ATC CLRNC UNTIL WE WERE AIRBORNE AND DEP CTL GAVE US OUR XPONDER SQUAWK. I PULLED UP OUR ATC CLRNC ON THE ACARS AND VERIFIED OUR RTE. I GUESS THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE SHOWS HOW EASY IT IS TO BECOME COMPLACENT AND THE IMPORTANCE TO VERIFY CHKLIST RESPONSES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.