Air carrier B-737-400 departure without pre departure clearance.

Attributes
ACN	279708
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	279708
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arrived at the aircraft and completed checklists and flight plan, programmed the FMC and ACARS for flight from phl to ind. While programming the ACARS and requesting our pre departure clearance ATC clearance, I became distracted by the captain and maintenance discussing a problem. Told to call operations, which disrupted my programming the ACARS. Pushback time came and pushed off the gate (was #1 in a long line of aircraft). To make a long story short, we completed the checklist and departed on the phl 6 departure. When told to switch to departure I noticed that I did not have the frequency pre-tuned and realized at that time that I had not received the pre departure clearance. I immediately requested a verification of clearance and squawk. I have just returned to domestic flying after being on long haul international. It is a totally different pace. Need to keep distrs to a minimum and more xchks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B-737-400 DEP WITHOUT PDC.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT THE ACFT AND COMPLETED CHKLISTS AND FLT PLAN, PROGRAMMED THE FMC AND ACARS FOR FLT FROM PHL TO IND. WHILE PROGRAMMING THE ACARS AND REQUESTING OUR PDC ATC CLRNC, I BECAME DISTRACTED BY THE CAPT AND MAINT DISCUSSING A PROB. TOLD TO CALL OPS, WHICH DISRUPTED MY PROGRAMMING THE ACARS. PUSHBACK TIME CAME AND PUSHED OFF THE GATE (WAS #1 IN A LONG LINE OF ACFT). TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST AND DEPARTED ON THE PHL 6 DEP. WHEN TOLD TO SWITCH TO DEP I NOTICED THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE FREQ PRE-TUNED AND REALIZED AT THAT TIME THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED THE PDC. I IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A VERIFICATION OF CLRNC AND SQUAWK. I HAVE JUST RETURNED TO DOMESTIC FLYING AFTER BEING ON LONG HAUL INTL. IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PACE. NEED TO KEEP DISTRS TO A MINIMUM AND MORE XCHKS.

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.