Narrative:

This was an easy flight den to lax. No WX, no turbulence. I loaded the route from the flight plan into the FMC (both SID and route to lax). The altitude (obtained from the SID page) was set in altitude alert window. The navigation radios were set as backup for the FMS. The first officer and I briefed each other on the SID and special engine out procedure. The CDU used for ACARS was on the ATC-pre departure clearance page. With the push of a button we would receive the requested departure clearance. Due to numerous communications with customer service, flight attendants and passenger, the ATC pre departure clearance was not requested. The rude awakening came shortly after takeoff when the tower controller said confirm transponder set identify. The proper code was then set and we were cleared to a fix on the SID. I immediately obtained a clearance via ACARS (as should have been done earlier) and it was exactly as programmed and briefed. We were lucky -- no changes. My predep briefing includes: do we have our clearance? Obviously, I skipped over it this time. A contributing factor (not an excuse -- there is none) is loading the FMC prior to receiving a clearance. After I load the FMC, check the FMC agrees with the flight plan and SID page, it seems as though I have a clearance. Waiting to load and check the FMC is not the answer. I fly more international trips than domestic and most foreign airports issue route clrncs when ready to start engines, taxi or push back from the gate. My predep briefing will now be repeated just prior to engine start or pushback from the gate. FMS experience: 8 yrs on advanced/automated cockpit, 3 different aircraft.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR WDB FORGOT TO OBTAIN THEIR PDC PRIOR TO TKOF RESULTING IN THE TWR ASKING THEM TO CONFIRM THEIR XPONDER CODE SETTING.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN EASY FLT DEN TO LAX. NO WX, NO TURB. I LOADED THE RTE FROM THE FLT PLAN INTO THE FMC (BOTH SID AND RTE TO LAX). THE ALT (OBTAINED FROM THE SID PAGE) WAS SET IN ALT ALERT WINDOW. THE NAV RADIOS WERE SET AS BACKUP FOR THE FMS. THE FO AND I BRIEFED EACH OTHER ON THE SID AND SPECIAL ENG OUT PROC. THE CDU USED FOR ACARS WAS ON THE ATC-PDC PAGE. WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON WE WOULD RECEIVE THE REQUESTED DEP CLRNC. DUE TO NUMEROUS COMS WITH CUSTOMER SVC, FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX, THE ATC PDC WAS NOT REQUESTED. THE RUDE AWAKENING CAME SHORTLY AFTER TKOF WHEN THE TWR CTLR SAID CONFIRM XPONDER SET IDENT. THE PROPER CODE WAS THEN SET AND WE WERE CLRED TO A FIX ON THE SID. I IMMEDIATELY OBTAINED A CLRNC VIA ACARS (AS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE EARLIER) AND IT WAS EXACTLY AS PROGRAMMED AND BRIEFED. WE WERE LUCKY -- NO CHANGES. MY PREDEP BRIEFING INCLUDES: DO WE HAVE OUR CLRNC? OBVIOUSLY, I SKIPPED OVER IT THIS TIME. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR (NOT AN EXCUSE -- THERE IS NONE) IS LOADING THE FMC PRIOR TO RECEIVING A CLRNC. AFTER I LOAD THE FMC, CHK THE FMC AGREES WITH THE FLT PLAN AND SID PAGE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I HAVE A CLRNC. WAITING TO LOAD AND CHK THE FMC IS NOT THE ANSWER. I FLY MORE INTL TRIPS THAN DOMESTIC AND MOST FOREIGN ARPTS ISSUE RTE CLRNCS WHEN READY TO START ENGS, TAXI OR PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE. MY PREDEP BRIEFING WILL NOW BE REPEATED JUST PRIOR TO ENG START OR PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE. FMS EXPERIENCE: 8 YRS ON ADVANCED/AUTOMATED COCKPIT, 3 DIFFERENT ACFT.

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.