Air carrier large transport took off from foreign airport without IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	102610
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bda
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bda
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	102610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	102608
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was boarded and allowed to depart the gate 12 mins early. The aircraft was pushed back, the engines were started and clearance to taxi was received from ramp control on 121.7 clearance to taxi to runway 12 was received on 124.5 and clearance for takeoff was on 118.1. After takeoff I realized there was no altitude preset in the altitude warning system so I asked the copilot what altitude we had been cleared to. He replied that he had never obtained a clearance back to ewr. The aircraft was then flown under VFR rules until a clearance could be obtained. After several frequency changes, an IFR clearance to ewr was obtained and the flight continued west/O incident. I feel that we were fortunate to be able to maintain VFR (that the WX was good, in other words). It dismays me how we could have been allowed to takeoff west/O an IFR clearance to destination. It has been my experience that at most airports an aircraft will not be cleared to taxi until the aftn clearance has been delivered and acknowledged. Why is it different at bermuda?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TOOK OFF FROM FOREIGN ARPT WITHOUT IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: FLT WAS BOARDED AND ALLOWED TO DEPART THE GATE 12 MINS EARLY. THE ACFT WAS PUSHED BACK, THE ENGS WERE STARTED AND CLRNC TO TAXI WAS RECEIVED FROM RAMP CTL ON 121.7 CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 12 WAS RECEIVED ON 124.5 AND CLRNC FOR TKOF WAS ON 118.1. AFTER TKOF I REALIZED THERE WAS NO ALT PRESET IN THE ALT WARNING SYS SO I ASKED THE COPLT WHAT ALT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO. HE REPLIED THAT HE HAD NEVER OBTAINED A CLRNC BACK TO EWR. THE ACFT WAS THEN FLOWN UNDER VFR RULES UNTIL A CLRNC COULD BE OBTAINED. AFTER SEVERAL FREQ CHANGES, AN IFR CLRNC TO EWR WAS OBTAINED AND THE FLT CONTINUED W/O INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR (THAT THE WX WAS GOOD, IN OTHER WORDS). IT DISMAYS ME HOW WE COULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO TKOF W/O AN IFR CLRNC TO DEST. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT AT MOST ARPTS AN ACFT WILL NOT BE CLRED TO TAXI UNTIL THE AFTN CLRNC HAS BEEN DELIVERED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. WHY IS IT DIFFERENT AT BERMUDA?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.