An EMB145 flight crew failed to retrieve their clearance until after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	525860
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2050 flight time type : 586
ASRS Report	525860
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I requested a pre departure clearance clearance from the ACARS system for a flight from ord to mem. I requested the clearance about 2 mins earlier than the usual 30 mins prior to departure time. Received message back that the clearance was not available and to contact clearance via voice. Since I was too early for the request I delayed and thought I would request it again via the ACARS system closer to departure time. We then proceeded to taxi for departure and we never received the clearance. We proceeded to take off. On the initial climb, tower told us to reset our transponder to the correct code. We entered the correct code and then vectored and cleared to our first fix. After reaching a non-sterile altitude I proceeded to look for the printed copy of the clearance and that is when it occurred to me that I never received the clearance. I notified the captain who asked the departure control to verify our clearance, which, was as filed by dispatch. Contributing factors: new security procedures had put an excess load on all employees. Both the gate agent and new flight attendant were coming to the cockpit with their various questions while the captain had to leave the cockpit to verify security clearance with dispatch via the telephone. Corrective actions: I now reset the transponder to squawk 1200 as part of my preflight flow as an indicator that I have not received a clearance. So when I set the transponder to TA/RA on the before takeoff checklist I will notice the code was not entered and the clearance was not received before leaving the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 FLT CREW FAILED TO RETRIEVE THEIR CLRNC UNTIL AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: I REQUESTED A PDC CLRNC FROM THE ACARS SYS FOR A FLT FROM ORD TO MEM. I REQUESTED THE CLRNC ABOUT 2 MINS EARLIER THAN THE USUAL 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP TIME. RECEIVED MESSAGE BACK THAT THE CLRNC WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND TO CONTACT CLRNC VIA VOICE. SINCE I WAS TOO EARLY FOR THE REQUEST I DELAYED AND THOUGHT I WOULD REQUEST IT AGAIN VIA THE ACARS SYS CLOSER TO DEP TIME. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI FOR DEP AND WE NEVER RECEIVED THE CLRNC. WE PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. ON THE INITIAL CLB, TWR TOLD US TO RESET OUR XPONDER TO THE CORRECT CODE. WE ENTERED THE CORRECT CODE AND THEN VECTORED AND CLRED TO OUR FIRST FIX. AFTER REACHING A NON-STERILE ALT I PROCEEDED TO LOOK FOR THE PRINTED COPY OF THE CLRNC AND THAT IS WHEN IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I NEVER RECEIVED THE CLRNC. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT WHO ASKED THE DEP CTL TO VERIFY OUR CLRNC, WHICH, WAS AS FILED BY DISPATCH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NEW SECURITY PROCS HAD PUT AN EXCESS LOAD ON ALL EMPLOYEES. BOTH THE GATE AGENT AND NEW FLT ATTENDANT WERE COMING TO THE COCKPIT WITH THEIR VARIOUS QUESTIONS WHILE THE CAPT HAD TO LEAVE THE COCKPIT TO VERIFY SECURITY CLRNC WITH DISPATCH VIA THE TELEPHONE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I NOW RESET THE XPONDER TO SQUAWK 1200 AS PART OF MY PREFLT FLOW AS AN INDICATOR THAT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC. SO WHEN I SET THE XPONDER TO TA/RA ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST I WILL NOTICE THE CODE WAS NOT ENTERED AND THE CLRNC WAS NOT RECEIVED BEFORE LEAVING THE GND.

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.