B757 flight crew depart las without an en route clearance.

Attributes
ACN	704866
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : tralr
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tracon : l90.tracon tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : tralr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 237 flight time total : 23700 flight time type : 3329
ASRS Report	704866
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On the release; the flight from las to dtw was scheduled to depart at XA40Z. We received our pre departure clearance via the ACARS. We were busy with preflight duties. We had a passenger that had to be removed (passenger brought to the attention of a flight attendant that a 70 yr old passenger lost control of his bodily functions and had an unbearable odor); and we were trying to find out from las operations why we were being further delayed for announcements to passenger. It turned out that the ground agents were attempting to get a passenger's large electric wheelchair into the cargo bin. Brake release was at XC45Z. It did not feel like we were that late; and I didn't check the times. We taxied to the runway and were cleared for takeoff. After takeoff; we were handed over to departure control. Departure control cleared us to FL190. During the climb; departure control; after attempting the coordination of our handoff to ZLA; told us that apparently our clearance had timed out and he had no routing for us. Departure control then told us to switch to ZLA and give them our routing. We called center and they had nothing on us. ZLA asked us for type of aircraft; requested routing; and requested altitude. After we complied; ZLA then gave us a clearance to dtw. I will not forget this event. Now whenever I am delayed; this incident will remind me to check the time so that I will ask clearance delivery to keep our clearance active.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW DEPART LAS WITHOUT AN ENRTE CLRNC.

Narrative: ON THE RELEASE; THE FLT FROM LAS TO DTW WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT XA40Z. WE RECEIVED OUR PDC VIA THE ACARS. WE WERE BUSY WITH PREFLT DUTIES. WE HAD A PAX THAT HAD TO BE REMOVED (PAX BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF A FLT ATTENDANT THAT A 70 YR OLD PAX LOST CTL OF HIS BODILY FUNCTIONS AND HAD AN UNBEARABLE ODOR); AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT FROM LAS OPS WHY WE WERE BEING FURTHER DELAYED FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS TO PAX. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE GND AGENTS WERE ATTEMPTING TO GET A PAX'S LARGE ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR INTO THE CARGO BIN. BRAKE RELEASE WAS AT XC45Z. IT DID NOT FEEL LIKE WE WERE THAT LATE; AND I DIDN'T CHK THE TIMES. WE TAXIED TO THE RWY AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AFTER TKOF; WE WERE HANDED OVER TO DEP CTL. DEP CTL CLRED US TO FL190. DURING THE CLB; DEP CTL; AFTER ATTEMPTING THE COORD OF OUR HDOF TO ZLA; TOLD US THAT APPARENTLY OUR CLRNC HAD TIMED OUT AND HE HAD NO ROUTING FOR US. DEP CTL THEN TOLD US TO SWITCH TO ZLA AND GIVE THEM OUR ROUTING. WE CALLED CTR AND THEY HAD NOTHING ON US. ZLA ASKED US FOR TYPE OF ACFT; REQUESTED ROUTING; AND REQUESTED ALT. AFTER WE COMPLIED; ZLA THEN GAVE US A CLRNC TO DTW. I WILL NOT FORGET THIS EVENT. NOW WHENEVER I AM DELAYED; THIS INCIDENT WILL REMIND ME TO CHK THE TIME SO THAT I WILL ASK CLRNC DELIVERY TO KEEP OUR CLRNC ACTIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.