Narrative:

We use pre departure clearance's at denver (pre departure clrncs). Printed pre departure clearance's are in our flight packets along with WX, flight release, flight plan, etc. I took the departure control frequency and transponder squawk from the pre departure clearance and programmed them into the equipment. I didn't notice the pre departure clearance I had was not the proper one for our flight. Another of our company's flts had ours, we had theirs. The papers had been put in the wrong flight packets. I didn't notice all that -- I only saw the departure frequency and transponder squawk -- the only variables I didn't have memorized. After takeoff, departure control questioned our squawk and had us change to another. We did, and reported the squawk given in our pre departure clearance. About that time, our other company flight lifted off, and came up against the same problem. By then, I really looked at our pre departure clearance and realized the mixup. We sorted it out with ATC and both flts continued on. Human performance: pre departure clearance's save time and radio transmissions and errors. If they are used correctly. We had late passenger and baggage and a delay which diverted our attention. No excuse, just another factor. We are accustomed to 'cleared as filed' -- same route, departure process, etc. I looked only for the things I needed to fill in the blanks and not for the obvious -- was this pre departure clearance for our flight? The folks preparing our flight packets had never mixed up the information before, and I didn't think to check our previously flawless source. Interesting that at least 5 people (preparer, me, my captain, other first officer and captain) missed the mixup.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY PROVIDED PREDEP CLRNCS FOR RPTR'S FLT SWITCHED FROM ANOTHER FLT INADVERTENTLY. FLC DISCOVERED THE SWITCHED PDC WHEN ADVISED BY CTLR THAT THEIR SQUAWK WAS IN ERROR.

Narrative: WE USE PDC'S AT DENVER (PRE DEP CLRNCS). PRINTED PDC'S ARE IN OUR FLT PACKETS ALONG WITH WX, FLT RELEASE, FLT PLAN, ETC. I TOOK THE DEP CTL FREQ AND TRANSPONDER SQUAWK FROM THE PDC AND PROGRAMMED THEM INTO THE EQUIP. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE PDC I HAD WAS NOT THE PROPER ONE FOR OUR FLT. ANOTHER OF OUR COMPANY'S FLTS HAD OURS, WE HAD THEIRS. THE PAPERS HAD BEEN PUT IN THE WRONG FLT PACKETS. I DIDN'T NOTICE ALL THAT -- I ONLY SAW THE DEP FREQ AND TRANSPONDER SQUAWK -- THE ONLY VARIABLES I DIDN'T HAVE MEMORIZED. AFTER TKOF, DEP CTL QUESTIONED OUR SQUAWK AND HAD US CHANGE TO ANOTHER. WE DID, AND RPTED THE SQUAWK GIVEN IN OUR PDC. ABOUT THAT TIME, OUR OTHER COMPANY FLT LIFTED OFF, AND CAME UP AGAINST THE SAME PROBLEM. BY THEN, I REALLY LOOKED AT OUR PDC AND REALIZED THE MIXUP. WE SORTED IT OUT WITH ATC AND BOTH FLTS CONTINUED ON. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: PDC'S SAVE TIME AND RADIO TRANSMISSIONS AND ERRORS. IF THEY ARE USED CORRECTLY. WE HAD LATE PAX AND BAGGAGE AND A DELAY WHICH DIVERTED OUR ATTN. NO EXCUSE, JUST ANOTHER FACTOR. WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO 'CLRED AS FILED' -- SAME RTE, DEP PROCESS, ETC. I LOOKED ONLY FOR THE THINGS I NEEDED TO FILL IN THE BLANKS AND NOT FOR THE OBVIOUS -- WAS THIS PDC FOR OUR FLT? THE FOLKS PREPARING OUR FLT PACKETS HAD NEVER MIXED UP THE INFO BEFORE, AND I DIDN'T THINK TO CHK OUR PREVIOUSLY FLAWLESS SOURCE. INTERESTING THAT AT LEAST 5 PEOPLE (PREPARER, ME, MY CAPT, OTHER FO AND CAPT) MISSED THE MIXUP.

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.