Narrative:

During preflight and cockpit setup, first officer requested ACARS datalink pre departure clearance (IFR clearance). Response received was that pre departure clearance was not stored and to contact clearance delivery by voice. This was not unusual, but due to the normal sops and a couple of irregular problems, neither of us contacted clearance delivery for the IFR clearance. At this point I was unaware of the ACARS message response. Problem was idented after takeoff when den tower instructed us to squawk XXX (which was not set) during taxi-out neither den ground nor tower questioned our IFR clearance (or lack of). Once the problem was discovered, I verified our altitude and route with ZDV (which was as filed and noted on our flight plan forecast). No conflict occurred, no altitude or route/vector clearance was violated. Note -- sometimes during our preflight briefings, the IFR clearance is delayed and we take note of that. This time however it was forgotten. Also, I was under the impression that ground control would have questioned our request for taxi, had they not had our clearance. Since they didn't, I'm assuming they in fact did have our clearance, and allowed us our taxi request.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR TAKES OFF FROM DENVER WITHOUT RECEIVING THEIR RTE CLRNC THROUGH PDC OR VOICE.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT AND COCKPIT SETUP, FO REQUESTED ACARS DATALINK PDC (IFR CLRNC). RESPONSE RECEIVED WAS THAT PDC WAS NOT STORED AND TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY BY VOICE. THIS WAS NOT UNUSUAL, BUT DUE TO THE NORMAL SOPS AND A COUPLE OF IRREGULAR PROBS, NEITHER OF US CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY FOR THE IFR CLRNC. AT THIS POINT I WAS UNAWARE OF THE ACARS MESSAGE RESPONSE. PROB WAS IDENTED AFTER TKOF WHEN DEN TWR INSTRUCTED US TO SQUAWK XXX (WHICH WAS NOT SET) DURING TAXI-OUT NEITHER DEN GND NOR TWR QUESTIONED OUR IFR CLRNC (OR LACK OF). ONCE THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED, I VERIFIED OUR ALT AND RTE WITH ZDV (WHICH WAS AS FILED AND NOTED ON OUR FLT PLAN FORECAST). NO CONFLICT OCCURRED, NO ALT OR RTE/VECTOR CLRNC WAS VIOLATED. NOTE -- SOMETIMES DURING OUR PREFLT BRIEFINGS, THE IFR CLRNC IS DELAYED AND WE TAKE NOTE OF THAT. THIS TIME HOWEVER IT WAS FORGOTTEN. ALSO, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT GND CTL WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED OUR REQUEST FOR TAXI, HAD THEY NOT HAD OUR CLRNC. SINCE THEY DIDN'T, I'M ASSUMING THEY IN FACT DID HAVE OUR CLRNC, AND ALLOWED US OUR TAXI REQUEST.

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.