Flight crew failed to obtain a hard copy of ATC clearance prior to departure.

Attributes
ACN	433535
Time
Date	199904
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	433535
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon takeoff from atl to clt, departure control was contacted at approximately 1000 ft AGL. After initial contact ATC replied radar contact. In about 10 seconds later, ATC said squawk XXXX please. I looked down and found that 0000 had been set in the transponder, so I reset the requested squawk. I also 'zero out' the transponder on each landing and don't reset it until a clearance for the next flight is received. I immediately thought we had not received a clearance and asked the first officer. We checked the message file on our ACARS machine to find we had no clearance stored. We immediately requested one on ACARS and received it on ACARS within about 10 seconds. It had the same clearance as filed and the same squawk as ATC had requested us to squawk. We had taxied out and taken off without anyone in ATC noticing our mistake. I had also briefed the departure without actually having one as we get so used to 'the same thing.' remedies: 1) don't run 'before start' checklists at gate until pre departure clearance is actually obtained and discussed in departure briefing. 2) have ATC confirm squawk on clearance before pushback (as lga ATC does) when receiving pre departure clearance on ACARS. Causes: before start checklist was run almost 30 mins before push (too soon) because first officer was holding checklist in hand, I felt need to run it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILED TO OBTAIN A HARD COPY OF ATC CLRNC PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: UPON TKOF FROM ATL TO CLT, DEP CTL WAS CONTACTED AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL. AFTER INITIAL CONTACT ATC REPLIED RADAR CONTACT. IN ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER, ATC SAID SQUAWK XXXX PLEASE. I LOOKED DOWN AND FOUND THAT 0000 HAD BEEN SET IN THE XPONDER, SO I RESET THE REQUESTED SQUAWK. I ALSO 'ZERO OUT' THE XPONDER ON EACH LNDG AND DON'T RESET IT UNTIL A CLRNC FOR THE NEXT FLT IS RECEIVED. I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC AND ASKED THE FO. WE CHKED THE MESSAGE FILE ON OUR ACARS MACHINE TO FIND WE HAD NO CLRNC STORED. WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED ONE ON ACARS AND RECEIVED IT ON ACARS WITHIN ABOUT 10 SECONDS. IT HAD THE SAME CLRNC AS FILED AND THE SAME SQUAWK AS ATC HAD REQUESTED US TO SQUAWK. WE HAD TAXIED OUT AND TAKEN OFF WITHOUT ANYONE IN ATC NOTICING OUR MISTAKE. I HAD ALSO BRIEFED THE DEP WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING ONE AS WE GET SO USED TO 'THE SAME THING.' REMEDIES: 1) DON'T RUN 'BEFORE START' CHKLISTS AT GATE UNTIL PDC IS ACTUALLY OBTAINED AND DISCUSSED IN DEP BRIEFING. 2) HAVE ATC CONFIRM SQUAWK ON CLRNC BEFORE PUSHBACK (AS LGA ATC DOES) WHEN RECEIVING PDC ON ACARS. CAUSES: BEFORE START CHKLIST WAS RUN ALMOST 30 MINS BEFORE PUSH (TOO SOON) BECAUSE FO WAS HOLDING CHKLIST IN HAND, I FELT NEED TO RUN IT.

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.