Narrative:

We landed and parked at the gate and had 40 mins before next departure. We prepared the cockpit for the next flight (flight plan, charts, logbook sign, checklists, etc) but it was too early to get the departure clearance. We taxied out normally with proper checklists and received proper clearance from tower to depart. On the climb out we contacted departure control and he told us to squawk a code. He asked us to verify our altitude and we replied. At this time we realized we hadn't received clearance. The remainder of the flight proceeded normally. There was no mention any time throughout the flight block to block about us not receiving a clearance. I feel this can be avoided by a company policy to have at a certain point on checklist to check for clearance received. Also ATC requirement from ground and tower to verify clearance received prior to taxi and departure other than through ACARS or verbal. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting captain states that his copilot just plain forgot to ask ACARS for the pre-departure clearance. Pit ground does not require that pilots give their squawk on taxi out so that there is no way for clearance to know that the pre-departure clearance has been received. Apparently the crew got away with the whole episode as there has been no word from the FAA to the pilots or the air carrier management. There was light traffic at the time of the incident and no conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW FAILED TO ASK THEIR ACARS FOR THEIR AIRWAYS CLRNC AND THEN TOOK OFF WITH NO AIRWAYS CLRNC.

Narrative: WE LANDED AND PARKED AT THE GATE AND HAD 40 MINS BEFORE NEXT DEP. WE PREPARED THE COCKPIT FOR THE NEXT FLT (FLT PLAN, CHARTS, LOGBOOK SIGN, CHKLISTS, ETC) BUT IT WAS TOO EARLY TO GET THE DEP CLRNC. WE TAXIED OUT NORMALLY WITH PROPER CHKLISTS AND RECEIVED PROPER CLRNC FROM TWR TO DEPART. ON THE CLB OUT WE CONTACTED DEP CTL AND HE TOLD US TO SQUAWK A CODE. HE ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT AND WE REPLIED. AT THIS TIME WE REALIZED WE HADN'T RECEIVED CLRNC. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. THERE WAS NO MENTION ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE FLT BLOCK TO BLOCK ABOUT US NOT RECEIVING A CLRNC. I FEEL THIS CAN BE AVOIDED BY A COMPANY POLICY TO HAVE AT A CERTAIN POINT ON CHKLIST TO CHK FOR CLRNC RECEIVED. ALSO ATC REQUIREMENT FROM GND AND TWR TO VERIFY CLRNC RECEIVED PRIOR TO TAXI AND DEP OTHER THAN THROUGH ACARS OR VERBAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING CAPT STATES THAT HIS COPLT JUST PLAIN FORGOT TO ASK ACARS FOR THE PRE-DEP CLRNC. PIT GND DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT PLTS GIVE THEIR SQUAWK ON TAXI OUT SO THAT THERE IS NO WAY FOR CLRNC TO KNOW THAT THE PRE-DEP CLRNC HAS BEEN RECEIVED. APPARENTLY THE CREW GOT AWAY WITH THE WHOLE EPISODE AS THERE HAS BEEN NO WORD FROM THE FAA TO THE PLTS OR THE ACR MGMNT. THERE WAS LIGHT TFC AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND NO CONFLICT.

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.