B737 crew took off without obtaining their ACARS pre departure clearance.

Attributes
ACN	417290
Time
Date	199810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	417290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10100 flight time type : 4945
ASRS Report	417486
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off without having gotten our route clearance. We became aware of the problem when tower said to go over to departure control, and we didn't know the frequency. Then departure told us they didn't have our squawk. I broke my usual routine of not doing the before start checklist until having the ATC clearance and fuel slip. I now realize that I have no backup to that check. In phl with pre departure clearance there is no verbal challenge from ground or tower to make sure a flight has its clearance. Some other airports, such as lga, do make sure and it seems like a good idea. Supplemental information from acn 417486: a human factors aspect of this incident is fatigue. I live on the west coast and am forced to commute, due to the closure of our los angeles crew base to phl. I awoke the morning of this trip at XA00 (body clock time) or XD00 EDT and feel that this is a contributing factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW TOOK OFF WITHOUT OBTAINING THEIR ACARS PDC.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF WITHOUT HAVING GOTTEN OUR RTE CLRNC. WE BECAME AWARE OF THE PROB WHEN TWR SAID TO GO OVER TO DEP CTL, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW THE FREQ. THEN DEP TOLD US THEY DIDN'T HAVE OUR SQUAWK. I BROKE MY USUAL ROUTINE OF NOT DOING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST UNTIL HAVING THE ATC CLRNC AND FUEL SLIP. I NOW REALIZE THAT I HAVE NO BACKUP TO THAT CHK. IN PHL WITH PDC THERE IS NO VERBAL CHALLENGE FROM GND OR TWR TO MAKE SURE A FLT HAS ITS CLRNC. SOME OTHER ARPTS, SUCH AS LGA, DO MAKE SURE AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 417486: A HUMAN FACTORS ASPECT OF THIS INCIDENT IS FATIGUE. I LIVE ON THE WEST COAST AND AM FORCED TO COMMUTE, DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF OUR LOS ANGELES CREW BASE TO PHL. I AWOKE THE MORNING OF THIS TRIP AT XA00 (BODY CLOCK TIME) OR XD00 EDT AND FEEL THAT THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.