An air carrier medium large transport took off without airways clearance.

Attributes
ACN	258858
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	258858
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While preparing for departure at phx for a flight to phl, we were distracted by operations requesting us to up our fuel load to near maximum. I went to inform the fueler of the change. When I returned it was departure time and we pushed back, called ground control, taxied and took off with clearance from phx tower. After takeoff, at about 1000 ft, we realized that neither of us had ever called or sent for a pre departure clearance clearance to phl. We asked phx departure to confirm our clearance, while he couldn't, but ZAB did confirm we were cleared to phl. We proceeded and landed at phl uneventfully. This could have been prevented by being more vigilant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG TOOK OFF WITHOUT AIRWAYS CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING FOR DEP AT PHX FOR A FLT TO PHL, WE WERE DISTRACTED BY OPS REQUESTING US TO UP OUR FUEL LOAD TO NEAR MAX. I WENT TO INFORM THE FUELER OF THE CHANGE. WHEN I RETURNED IT WAS DEP TIME AND WE PUSHED BACK, CALLED GND CTL, TAXIED AND TOOK OFF WITH CLRNC FROM PHX TWR. AFTER TKOF, AT ABOUT 1000 FT, WE REALIZED THAT NEITHER OF US HAD EVER CALLED OR SENT FOR A PDC CLRNC TO PHL. WE ASKED PHX DEP TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC, WHILE HE COULDN'T, BUT ZAB DID CONFIRM WE WERE CLRED TO PHL. WE PROCEEDED AND LANDED AT PHL UNEVENTFULLY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY BEING MORE VIGILANT.

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.