Narrative:

After a 2 1/2 hour 'creeping' delay because of a snowstorm at ord we finally received our clearance for pushback from the gate. Field conditions were as follows: temperature 21 degrees F, snowing moderately, all surfaces covered with 2 to 12 inches of dry blowing snow (estimated), braking action reported as fair to poor on all surfaces, runway 14R had 1/4 to 1/2 inch dry snow clutter, visibility 1/4 mi, wind 100/08. As we started our push, the tractor driver had to stop because of snowplows working behind us. When we did get pushed, we were deiced on the inner taxiway. During the deicing, snowplows were working all around us and our 7 deicing trucks. Just as I added power to taxi after receiving clearance to runway 14R, 3 snowplows in a 'congo line' passed under our nose. There seems to be no coordination between the tower and snow removal operations. During taxi, twice we had to stop because we were not sure of the taxiway boundaries. Snow was covering the signs and some edge lights. At the end of the runway we were #2 for takeoff. We completed the before takeoff checklist 'to the line.' I stopped the plane and had the first officer go to the main cabin to check wings for snow accumulation. The tower cleared us for takeoff. I requested a delay to get ready for takeoff, the tower came back with a clearance to taxi down the runway and exit at the first turnoff. He said that he had 2 airplanes behind us who were ready for takeoff. I moved the plane onto the runway just as the first officer got into his seat. He told me that the wings were clean. I told the tower we were now ready for takeoff and asked if we were still cleared to go. The tower cleared us for immediate takeoff. I brought the power up as the first officer finished the 'final' items on the checklist. However, one of the items is to inform the flight attendants to prepare for takeoff. The first officer asked me if I had made the announcement. I hadn't! My choice was to abort and finish the checklist properly or continue the takeoff. Given the conditions, I continued the takeoff. I found out later that most of the flight attendants were in their seats, but one had to make a dash from the galley to her seat. Starting to taxi without the first officer in his seat and not making the pre-takeoff announcement were serious breaches of safety! We had been making decisions and solving problems in rapid succession for about 3 1/2 hours. I think that my concentration and discipline were broken down by my weariness. This allowed me to be pressured into rushing by the tower and my own eagerness to get the flight on its way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR FLT ELECTS TO START TKOF WITH FO NOT STRAPPED IN AND NO ALERT TO THE CABIN ATTENDANTS.

Narrative: AFTER A 2 1/2 HR 'CREEPING' DELAY BECAUSE OF A SNOWSTORM AT ORD WE FINALLY RECEIVED OUR CLRNC FOR PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE. FIELD CONDITIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS: TEMP 21 DEGS F, SNOWING MODERATELY, ALL SURFACES COVERED WITH 2 TO 12 INCHES OF DRY BLOWING SNOW (ESTIMATED), BRAKING ACTION RPTED AS FAIR TO POOR ON ALL SURFACES, RWY 14R HAD 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH DRY SNOW CLUTTER, VISIBILITY 1/4 MI, WIND 100/08. AS WE STARTED OUR PUSH, THE TRACTOR DRIVER HAD TO STOP BECAUSE OF SNOWPLOWS WORKING BEHIND US. WHEN WE DID GET PUSHED, WE WERE DEICED ON THE INNER TXWY. DURING THE DEICING, SNOWPLOWS WERE WORKING ALL AROUND US AND OUR 7 DEICING TRUCKS. JUST AS I ADDED PWR TO TAXI AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO RWY 14R, 3 SNOWPLOWS IN A 'CONGO LINE' PASSED UNDER OUR NOSE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO COORD BTWN THE TWR AND SNOW REMOVAL OPS. DURING TAXI, TWICE WE HAD TO STOP BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE OF THE TXWY BOUNDARIES. SNOW WAS COVERING THE SIGNS AND SOME EDGE LIGHTS. AT THE END OF THE RWY WE WERE #2 FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST 'TO THE LINE.' I STOPPED THE PLANE AND HAD THE FO GO TO THE MAIN CABIN TO CHK WINGS FOR SNOW ACCUMULATION. THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. I REQUESTED A DELAY TO GET READY FOR TKOF, THE TWR CAME BACK WITH A CLRNC TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY AND EXIT AT THE FIRST TURNOFF. HE SAID THAT HE HAD 2 AIRPLANES BEHIND US WHO WERE READY FOR TKOF. I MOVED THE PLANE ONTO THE RWY JUST AS THE FO GOT INTO HIS SEAT. HE TOLD ME THAT THE WINGS WERE CLEAN. I TOLD THE TWR WE WERE NOW READY FOR TKOF AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL CLRED TO GO. THE TWR CLRED US FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. I BROUGHT THE PWR UP AS THE FO FINISHED THE 'FINAL' ITEMS ON THE CHKLIST. HOWEVER, ONE OF THE ITEMS IS TO INFORM THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO PREPARE FOR TKOF. THE FO ASKED ME IF I HAD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT. I HADN'T! MY CHOICE WAS TO ABORT AND FINISH THE CHKLIST PROPERLY OR CONTINUE THE TKOF. GIVEN THE CONDITIONS, I CONTINUED THE TKOF. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT MOST OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THEIR SEATS, BUT ONE HAD TO MAKE A DASH FROM THE GALLEY TO HER SEAT. STARTING TO TAXI WITHOUT THE FO IN HIS SEAT AND NOT MAKING THE PRE-TKOF ANNOUNCEMENT WERE SERIOUS BREACHES OF SAFETY! WE HAD BEEN MAKING DECISIONS AND SOLVING PROBS IN RAPID SUCCESSION FOR ABOUT 3 1/2 HRS. I THINK THAT MY CONCENTRATION AND DISCIPLINE WERE BROKEN DOWN BY MY WEARINESS. THIS ALLOWED ME TO BE PRESSURED INTO RUSHING BY THE TWR AND MY OWN EAGERNESS TO GET THE FLT ON ITS WAY.

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.