E145 PIC challenges pre departure clearance to resolve incorrect automated clearance dispatch.

Attributes
ACN	509730
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	509730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Please note my concern of a lack of safety in the area of pre departure clearance's. I have heard of sits where flcs have departed with the wrong pre departure clearance. This very thing nearly happened to me. The gate agent handed me a pre departure clearance that by all accounts looked correct -- it had the correct flight number and the correct date. I was slightly suspicious as it came about 30 mins before departure, which is a little earlier than normal. Looking at it more closely, I saw that the aircraft type was incorrect -- EMB135 versus EMB145. Also, the valid time was XA10Z, not our scheduled time of XD30Z. It turns out this pre departure clearance was for the friday flight that departs at XD00 and we were the saturday flight that departs at XC00. 2 flts to the same destination/same flight number on the same day. I felt fortunate to catch this and got my actual clearance from clearance delivery. I am still trying to figure out why we are allowed to depart IFR without confirmation of our clearance. My solution is to contact clearance delivery with my squawk code. This verifies receipt and correctness of clearance. I have been met with some resistance from controllers. As they must feel it adds to their workload, but I feel it's a small price to pay for the added safety. A readback is required for any clearance. This should not be an exception.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 PIC CHALLENGES PDC TO RESOLVE INCORRECT AUTOMATED CLRNC DISPATCH.

Narrative: PLEASE NOTE MY CONCERN OF A LACK OF SAFETY IN THE AREA OF PDC'S. I HAVE HEARD OF SITS WHERE FLCS HAVE DEPARTED WITH THE WRONG PDC. THIS VERY THING NEARLY HAPPENED TO ME. THE GATE AGENT HANDED ME A PDC THAT BY ALL ACCOUNTS LOOKED CORRECT -- IT HAD THE CORRECT FLT NUMBER AND THE CORRECT DATE. I WAS SLIGHTLY SUSPICIOUS AS IT CAME ABOUT 30 MINS BEFORE DEP, WHICH IS A LITTLE EARLIER THAN NORMAL. LOOKING AT IT MORE CLOSELY, I SAW THAT THE ACFT TYPE WAS INCORRECT -- EMB135 VERSUS EMB145. ALSO, THE VALID TIME WAS XA10Z, NOT OUR SCHEDULED TIME OF XD30Z. IT TURNS OUT THIS PDC WAS FOR THE FRIDAY FLT THAT DEPARTS AT XD00 AND WE WERE THE SATURDAY FLT THAT DEPARTS AT XC00. 2 FLTS TO THE SAME DEST/SAME FLT NUMBER ON THE SAME DAY. I FELT FORTUNATE TO CATCH THIS AND GOT MY ACTUAL CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY. I AM STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE ARE ALLOWED TO DEPART IFR WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF OUR CLRNC. MY SOLUTION IS TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY WITH MY SQUAWK CODE. THIS VERIFIES RECEIPT AND CORRECTNESS OF CLRNC. I HAVE BEEN MET WITH SOME RESISTANCE FROM CTLRS. AS THEY MUST FEEL IT ADDS TO THEIR WORKLOAD, BUT I FEEL IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE ADDED SAFETY. A READBACK IS REQUIRED FOR ANY CLRNC. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN EXCEPTION.

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.