DC9 crew with very little experience departs without proper release and WX from mci.

Attributes
ACN	458089
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	458089
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Classic error chain. Departed mci-phl with wrong release and WX package. First flight of trip with crew paired together. Both low time in type, me first officer (85 hours) and captain 30 hours. Arrive at aircraft on time. Told paperwork is reprinting because of printer problem. On preflight, found maintenance discrepancy. Coordinating maintenance and operations. Jump seater shows up -- have to say hello to him. Another non revenue pops in to say hello. Finally maintenance shows up, resolves situation. Paperwork finally shows up during checklist -- about 10 mins before departure. I notice the alternate and an MEL. We discuss the MEL -- a minor lighting write-up and can't find it in the logbook (clue!). We departed and en route we discovered wrong release. Our company has numerous safeguards to verify fuel, but not release number. This should be obvious! I didn't look to verify destination, routing on release (we used ACARS), aircraft tail number or WX (once again pulled up WX on ACARS). We both learned a lot that morning. We landed with plenty of fuel (burn was only 20-25 mins longer).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW WITH VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE DEPARTS WITHOUT PROPER RELEASE AND WX FROM MCI.

Narrative: CLASSIC ERROR CHAIN. DEPARTED MCI-PHL WITH WRONG RELEASE AND WX PACKAGE. FIRST FLT OF TRIP WITH CREW PAIRED TOGETHER. BOTH LOW TIME IN TYPE, ME FO (85 HRS) AND CAPT 30 HRS. ARRIVE AT ACFT ON TIME. TOLD PAPERWORK IS REPRINTING BECAUSE OF PRINTER PROB. ON PREFLT, FOUND MAINT DISCREPANCY. COORDINATING MAINT AND OPS. JUMP SEATER SHOWS UP -- HAVE TO SAY HELLO TO HIM. ANOTHER NON REVENUE POPS IN TO SAY HELLO. FINALLY MAINT SHOWS UP, RESOLVES SIT. PAPERWORK FINALLY SHOWS UP DURING CHKLIST -- ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE DEP. I NOTICE THE ALTERNATE AND AN MEL. WE DISCUSS THE MEL -- A MINOR LIGHTING WRITE-UP AND CAN'T FIND IT IN THE LOGBOOK (CLUE!). WE DEPARTED AND ENRTE WE DISCOVERED WRONG RELEASE. OUR COMPANY HAS NUMEROUS SAFEGUARDS TO VERIFY FUEL, BUT NOT RELEASE NUMBER. THIS SHOULD BE OBVIOUS! I DIDN'T LOOK TO VERIFY DEST, ROUTING ON RELEASE (WE USED ACARS), ACFT TAIL NUMBER OR WX (ONCE AGAIN PULLED UP WX ON ACARS). WE BOTH LEARNED A LOT THAT MORNING. WE LANDED WITH PLENTY OF FUEL (BURN WAS ONLY 20-25 MINS LONGER).

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.