An air carrier medium large transport crew took off without an airways clearance through their ACARS...

Attributes
ACN	238097
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	238097
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We had just flown air carrier flight X from syr to pit and were on the ground in pit with 1 hour before continuing to lan on the same flight. Since it was too early to get our ATC clearance to lan, I initiated the ACARS for the next leg and left the aircraft. Upon arrival back at the aircraft, some 45 mins later, the captain and I performed our required checklists and engaged in some conversation. Departure time came. The pushback and taxi out was performed and when we reached the end of the runway, our takeoff clearance was given and we departed. Once airborne, we contacted departure control. When we checked in with the controller, we were told to squawk a different code than the one which was set in. It was then when I realized that we had not received our clearance over the ACARS (pre-departure clearance). We then set in the new transponder code and proceeded to lan as filed and without further questions or comments from ATC. I believe that this problem will be and is a common occurrence when using ACARS (pre-departure clearance). I also believe this problem can be solved by obtaining confirmation of your clearance received by ground control on taxi out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW TOOK OFF WITHOUT AN AIRWAYS CLRNC THROUGH THEIR ACARS.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST FLOWN ACR FLT X FROM SYR TO PIT AND WERE ON THE GND IN PIT WITH 1 HR BEFORE CONTINUING TO LAN ON THE SAME FLT. SINCE IT WAS TOO EARLY TO GET OUR ATC CLRNC TO LAN, I INITIATED THE ACARS FOR THE NEXT LEG AND LEFT THE ACFT. UPON ARR BACK AT THE ACFT, SOME 45 MINS LATER, THE CAPT AND I PERFORMED OUR REQUIRED CHKLISTS AND ENGAGED IN SOME CONVERSATION. DEP TIME CAME. THE PUSHBACK AND TAXI OUT WAS PERFORMED AND WHEN WE REACHED THE END OF THE RWY, OUR TKOF CLRNC WAS GIVEN AND WE DEPARTED. ONCE AIRBORNE, WE CONTACTED DEP CTL. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH THE CTLR, WE WERE TOLD TO SQUAWK A DIFFERENT CODE THAN THE ONE WHICH WAS SET IN. IT WAS THEN WHEN I REALIZED THAT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED OUR CLRNC OVER THE ACARS (PRE-DEP CLRNC). WE THEN SET IN THE NEW XPONDER CODE AND PROCEEDED TO LAN AS FILED AND WITHOUT FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ATC. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROB WILL BE AND IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WHEN USING ACARS (PRE-DEP CLRNC). I ALSO BELIEVE THIS PROB CAN BE SOLVED BY OBTAINING CONFIRMATION OF YOUR CLRNC RECEIVED BY GND CTL ON TAXI OUT.

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.