Narrative:

We cane into phl from pittsburgh. We had a scheduled aircraft change in philadelphia. We arrived in the aircraft with more than enough time. I performed the exterior preflight inspection. Afterwards I loaded the ACARS and set up the aircraft for our filed route. I attempted to obtain an ATC clearance via the pre-departure clearance program 30 mins prior to departure. The pre-departure clearance would not issue a clearance. I decided to wait until 20 mins prior to departure, at which time I would try again. We became distracted in the cockpit and forgot to obtain the clearance. At departure time we taxied out with philadelphia ground and were cleared for takeoff by tower. When we switched over to departure control, he asked us our destination and issued us our transponder code. It wasn't until this time that I realized we had no clearance. I suggest that a program be put in place at all pre-departure clearance stations such as the one at la guardia. At lga after you receive your ATC clearance, you must contact clearance delivery and tell them your transponder code. If they are not contacted, ground control will not allow you to taxi. Some of the reasons for this event include: 1) at some pre-departure clearance stations you may obtain a clearance 30 mins prior to departure, but at others you must wait until exactly 20 mins prior. 2) familiarity with the flight plan route and setting up the navigational aids prior to obtaining an ATC clearance (a common practice). 3) the multitudes of distrs in the cockpit prior to taxi. 4) no backup on the part of most ground control stations. 5) no provision for ATC clearance on the checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TAKES OFF WITHOUT RECEIVING AN ATC RTE CLRNC.

Narrative: WE CANE INTO PHL FROM PITTSBURGH. WE HAD A SCHEDULED ACFT CHANGE IN PHILADELPHIA. WE ARRIVED IN THE ACFT WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME. I PERFORMED THE EXTERIOR PREFLT INSPECTION. AFTERWARDS I LOADED THE ACARS AND SET UP THE ACFT FOR OUR FILED RTE. I ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN AN ATC CLRNC VIA THE PRE-DEP CLRNC PROGRAM 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THE PRE-DEP CLRNC WOULD NOT ISSUE A CLRNC. I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL 20 MINS PRIOR TO DEP, AT WHICH TIME I WOULD TRY AGAIN. WE BECAME DISTRACTED IN THE COCKPIT AND FORGOT TO OBTAIN THE CLRNC. AT DEP TIME WE TAXIED OUT WITH PHILADELPHIA GND AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF BY TWR. WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO DEP CTL, HE ASKED US OUR DEST AND ISSUED US OUR XPONDER CODE. IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS TIME THAT I REALIZED WE HAD NO CLRNC. I SUGGEST THAT A PROGRAM BE PUT IN PLACE AT ALL PRE-DEP CLRNC STATIONS SUCH AS THE ONE AT LA GUARDIA. AT LGA AFTER YOU RECEIVE YOUR ATC CLRNC, YOU MUST CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY AND TELL THEM YOUR XPONDER CODE. IF THEY ARE NOT CONTACTED, GND CTL WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAXI. SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THIS EVENT INCLUDE: 1) AT SOME PRE-DEP CLRNC STATIONS YOU MAY OBTAIN A CLRNC 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP, BUT AT OTHERS YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL EXACTLY 20 MINS PRIOR. 2) FAMILIARITY WITH THE FLT PLAN RTE AND SETTING UP THE NAVIGATIONAL AIDS PRIOR TO OBTAINING AN ATC CLRNC (A COMMON PRACTICE). 3) THE MULTITUDES OF DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT PRIOR TO TAXI. 4) NO BACKUP ON THE PART OF MOST GND CTL STATIONS. 5) NO PROVISION FOR ATC CLRNC ON THE CHKLIST.

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.