Air carrier medium large transport made a takeoff from dca without an ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	199321
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	199321
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Operating from dca to cmh. We were rushed during the final few mins in the cockpit before departure. I asked for a clearance over the ACARS via the new pre-departure clearance system, then an agent came to the cockpit with WX and manifest papers, and the captain came in with weight and balance papers, etc. These got put on the center console over the touch sensitive ACARS screen. After takeoff and contacting departure control, departure gave us a code to squawk. I put it in the transponder, then looked at my note sheet to see if I got it wrong from the clearance. I noticed I didn't have the clearance written down, so I looked at the ACARS. The 'send' light was still on, indicating the request for the clearance was never sent. Nothing was mentioned by ground, tower, or departure about having a clearance. We continued the flight normally. Our company's ACARS have touch sensitive screens, and they must be released in the proper position. Also, the papers over the screen could change it. Doublechk!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE A TKOF FROM DCA WITHOUT AN ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: OPERATING FROM DCA TO CMH. WE WERE RUSHED DURING THE FINAL FEW MINS IN THE COCKPIT BEFORE DEP. I ASKED FOR A CLRNC OVER THE ACARS VIA THE NEW PRE-DEP CLRNC SYS, THEN AN AGENT CAME TO THE COCKPIT WITH WX AND MANIFEST PAPERS, AND THE CAPT CAME IN WITH WT AND BAL PAPERS, ETC. THESE GOT PUT ON THE CENTER CONSOLE OVER THE TOUCH SENSITIVE ACARS SCREEN. AFTER TKOF AND CONTACTING DEP CTL, DEP GAVE US A CODE TO SQUAWK. I PUT IT IN THE TRANSPONDER, THEN LOOKED AT MY NOTE SHEET TO SEE IF I GOT IT WRONG FROM THE CLRNC. I NOTICED I DIDN'T HAVE THE CLRNC WRITTEN DOWN, SO I LOOKED AT THE ACARS. THE 'SEND' LIGHT WAS STILL ON, INDICATING THE REQUEST FOR THE CLRNC WAS NEVER SENT. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED BY GND, TWR, OR DEP ABOUT HAVING A CLRNC. WE CONTINUED THE FLT NORMALLY. OUR COMPANY'S ACARS HAVE TOUCH SENSITIVE SCREENS, AND THEY MUST BE RELEASED IN THE PROPER POS. ALSO, THE PAPERS OVER THE SCREEN COULD CHANGE IT. DOUBLECHK!

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.