Flight crew air carrier medium large transport aircraft departed IFR without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	231861
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	231861
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	231862
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Departing from bwi, failed to obtain route clearance to syr, ny. Ground and tower cleared us to runway 28 and subsequently for takeoff. Takeoff was normal and upon switching to departure frequency, we realized we had no route clearance. ATC said nothing but asked for a proper squawk code. After being cleared on course J220, we received a heading direct syr. No mishaps or incidents. Conclusion: by nature of the pre-departure clearance (pre departure clearance) it is possible to depart without a route clearance. Extra pilot vigilance should be exercised so that this no longer occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ACR MLG ACFT DEPARTED IFR WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTING FROM BWI, FAILED TO OBTAIN RTE CLRNC TO SYR, NY. GND AND TWR CLRED US TO RWY 28 AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOR TKOF. TKOF WAS NORMAL AND UPON SWITCHING TO DEP FREQ, WE REALIZED WE HAD NO RTE CLRNC. ATC SAID NOTHING BUT ASKED FOR A PROPER SQUAWK CODE. AFTER BEING CLRED ON COURSE J220, WE RECEIVED A HDG DIRECT SYR. NO MISHAPS OR INCIDENTS. CONCLUSION: BY NATURE OF THE PRE-DEP CLRNC (PDC) IT IS POSSIBLE TO DEPART WITHOUT A RTE CLRNC. EXTRA PLT VIGILANCE SHOULD BE EXERCISED SO THAT THIS NO LONGER OCCURS.

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.