Narrative:

Confusion existed during pre-start preparation in obtaining ATC clearance. I had left cockpit to get pre departure clearance from gate agent, but realized there were only 2 mins until scheduled pushback and decided to wait for gate agent to bring pre departure clearance with automated weight and balance. I returned to cockpit and finished preparing for departure. Captain assumed I had indeed obtained pre departure clearance. Agent did not bring pre departure clearance after all, but with all the additional preparations involved after receiving the automated weight and balance, the clearance was overlooked. The absence of a clearance was first realized on departure climbing through approximately 2500 ft MSL when departure control prompted us to squawk an assigned code. No mention was ever made by any controller (ground, tower, departure, center) about the absence of a clearance. The flight was otherwise routine and uneventful. Multiple methods of obtaining a pre departure clearance (pickup at gate, through ACARS, delivery by agent) and the fact that not all stations utilize the pre departure clearance system at times creates confusion as to whether or not the clearance was obtained. As in many other areas, a lack of standardization and consistency leads to confusion and counterproductivity. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that no ATC agency knew that they had taken off without a clearance. The reporter was advised to call the FAA hotline to report and comment on this kind of problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: CONFUSION EXISTED DURING PRE-START PREPARATION IN OBTAINING ATC CLRNC. I HAD LEFT COCKPIT TO GET PDC FROM GATE AGENT, BUT REALIZED THERE WERE ONLY 2 MINS UNTIL SCHEDULED PUSHBACK AND DECIDED TO WAIT FOR GATE AGENT TO BRING PDC WITH AUTOMATED WT AND BAL. I RETURNED TO COCKPIT AND FINISHED PREPARING FOR DEP. CAPT ASSUMED I HAD INDEED OBTAINED PDC. AGENT DID NOT BRING PDC AFTER ALL, BUT WITH ALL THE ADDITIONAL PREPARATIONS INVOLVED AFTER RECEIVING THE AUTOMATED WT AND BAL, THE CLRNC WAS OVERLOOKED. THE ABSENCE OF A CLRNC WAS FIRST REALIZED ON DEP CLBING THROUGH APPROX 2500 FT MSL WHEN DEP CTL PROMPTED US TO SQUAWK AN ASSIGNED CODE. NO MENTION WAS EVER MADE BY ANY CTLR (GND, TWR, DEP, CTR) ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF A CLRNC. THE FLT WAS OTHERWISE ROUTINE AND UNEVENTFUL. MULTIPLE METHODS OF OBTAINING A PDC (PICKUP AT GATE, THROUGH ACARS, DELIVERY BY AGENT) AND THE FACT THAT NOT ALL STATIONS UTILIZE THE PDC SYS AT TIMES CREATES CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CLRNC WAS OBTAINED. AS IN MANY OTHER AREAS, A LACK OF STANDARDIZATION AND CONSISTENCY LEADS TO CONFUSION AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT NO ATC AGENCY KNEW THAT THEY HAD TAKEN OFF WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE RPTR WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE FAA HOTLINE TO RPT AND COMMENT ON THIS KIND OF PROB.

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.