Narrative:

While preparing the cockpit for departure, an overhead panel fell down in the first class cabin. I called maintenance and I assisted the mechanic to get the panel up for boarding to continue. This did break up the normal process of getting the plane ready for departure. On climb out, ATC gave us a new squawk which was different from what he had in the transponder. At the gate, we received the closeout early and also the TCASII portion of the transponder was inoperative, which was misleading when we got to that portion of the checklist. I realize the mistake and will be very careful of distrs in the future. The captain asked for a full route clearance from ATC which they already had to verify our route. Supplemental information from acn 537620: on departure, ATC gave us a new squawk. I looked to see the original setting and noticed we had no pre departure clearance. We requested a pre departure clearance through ACARS and received it airborne. I requested a full route readback -- no changes. I missed it on the checklist item 'transponder.' I replied 'stand by' and checked the squawk as I always do. There was a squawk left in the transponder window after the last flight. Normally, I check it against the pre departure clearance, but was distraction when I looked at the transponder panel because TCASII was inoperative and we had an inoperative sticker on the panel. Also, we had a closeout 9 mins before departure and I thought it was the pre departure clearance. There is no excuse for departing without a clearance. Maybe we could change the checklist to have first officer's zero out the transponder after landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FK100 FLC DEPARTS WITHOUT THEIR PDC AND IMPROPER SQUAWK CODE WHICH IS DETECTED BY THE DEP CTLR AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING THE COCKPIT FOR DEP, AN OVERHEAD PANEL FELL DOWN IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN. I CALLED MAINT AND I ASSISTED THE MECH TO GET THE PANEL UP FOR BOARDING TO CONTINUE. THIS DID BREAK UP THE NORMAL PROCESS OF GETTING THE PLANE READY FOR DEP. ON CLBOUT, ATC GAVE US A NEW SQUAWK WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HE HAD IN THE XPONDER. AT THE GATE, WE RECEIVED THE CLOSEOUT EARLY AND ALSO THE TCASII PORTION OF THE XPONDER WAS INOP, WHICH WAS MISLEADING WHEN WE GOT TO THAT PORTION OF THE CHKLIST. I REALIZE THE MISTAKE AND WILL BE VERY CAREFUL OF DISTRS IN THE FUTURE. THE CAPT ASKED FOR A FULL RTE CLRNC FROM ATC WHICH THEY ALREADY HAD TO VERIFY OUR RTE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 537620: ON DEP, ATC GAVE US A NEW SQUAWK. I LOOKED TO SEE THE ORIGINAL SETTING AND NOTICED WE HAD NO PDC. WE REQUESTED A PDC THROUGH ACARS AND RECEIVED IT AIRBORNE. I REQUESTED A FULL RTE READBACK -- NO CHANGES. I MISSED IT ON THE CHKLIST ITEM 'XPONDER.' I REPLIED 'STAND BY' AND CHKED THE SQUAWK AS I ALWAYS DO. THERE WAS A SQUAWK LEFT IN THE XPONDER WINDOW AFTER THE LAST FLT. NORMALLY, I CHK IT AGAINST THE PDC, BUT WAS DISTR WHEN I LOOKED AT THE XPONDER PANEL BECAUSE TCASII WAS INOP AND WE HAD AN INOP STICKER ON THE PANEL. ALSO, WE HAD A CLOSEOUT 9 MINS BEFORE DEP AND I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PDC. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR DEPARTING WITHOUT A CLRNC. MAYBE WE COULD CHANGE THE CHKLIST TO HAVE FO'S ZERO OUT THE XPONDER AFTER LNDG.

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.