Narrative:

A normal part 121 air carrier flight from dfw to dsm. An IFR flight plan had been filed and the date was jun/tue/03. Normal operations and we pushed back from gate at XA31 local. Normal taxi out and all checks were completed. We were given clearance for takeoff and we started the takeoff roll. On initial climb out, we were given a code to squawk. I placed new code (I was PNF) in the transponder. The tower then switched us over to departure and we were vectored onto our normally filed SID and the rest of the routing up to dsm. VFR conditions prevailed and we entered no IMC conditions. As we climbed through 10000 ft, I realized that I had neglected to get our IFR clearance while on the ground in dfw, there was confusion with the transponder code after takeoff. Complacency played a major role in this situation. The conditions before a flight follow the same routine over and over. I mean this in that we get to the airplane, set up our kit bags, I do the preflight, grab ATIS and clearance, we go over the release and maintenance logs and any other preflight breifings. On this particular trip, I was paired up with a captain that I had never flown with before. We took a few mins to get to know each other before the flight. I had done this routine so many times, I feel comfortable that I had done everything. But, I did fail to get our IFR clearance. The SID was a very common SID and we both had our minds set on doing this same trip as we have done before, but not together. A very real problem with complacency is feeling so sure that everything has been done and all is good, but it's actually not. To help fight this, I've made a mental checklist I call 'pacb.' stands for: preflight, ATIS, clearance, and briefings. Although it won't solve all the possible problems, it does help where I've fallen short before. I've learned from this experience to not fall into the complacency trap. Just because it's the same trip I've done many times, doesn't mean I can situation back and relax, but to treat it as a new experience every time.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 CREW FORGOT TO GET THEIR IFR CLRNC WHEN DEPARTING DFW. THEY HAD NO XPONDER CODE OR ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: A NORMAL PART 121 ACR FLT FROM DFW TO DSM. AN IFR FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED AND THE DATE WAS JUN/TUE/03. NORMAL OPS AND WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT XA31 LCL. NORMAL TAXI OUT AND ALL CHKS WERE COMPLETED. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC FOR TKOF AND WE STARTED THE TKOF ROLL. ON INITIAL CLBOUT, WE WERE GIVEN A CODE TO SQUAWK. I PLACED NEW CODE (I WAS PNF) IN THE XPONDER. THE TWR THEN SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP AND WE WERE VECTORED ONTO OUR NORMALLY FILED SID AND THE REST OF THE ROUTING UP TO DSM. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WE ENTERED NO IMC CONDITIONS. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 10000 FT, I REALIZED THAT I HAD NEGLECTED TO GET OUR IFR CLRNC WHILE ON THE GND IN DFW, THERE WAS CONFUSION WITH THE XPONDER CODE AFTER TKOF. COMPLACENCY PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS SIT. THE CONDITIONS BEFORE A FLT FOLLOW THE SAME ROUTINE OVER AND OVER. I MEAN THIS IN THAT WE GET TO THE AIRPLANE, SET UP OUR KIT BAGS, I DO THE PREFLT, GRAB ATIS AND CLRNC, WE GO OVER THE RELEASE AND MAINT LOGS AND ANY OTHER PREFLT BREIFINGS. ON THIS PARTICULAR TRIP, I WAS PAIRED UP WITH A CAPT THAT I HAD NEVER FLOWN WITH BEFORE. WE TOOK A FEW MINS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BEFORE THE FLT. I HAD DONE THIS ROUTINE SO MANY TIMES, I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT I HAD DONE EVERYTHING. BUT, I DID FAIL TO GET OUR IFR CLRNC. THE SID WAS A VERY COMMON SID AND WE BOTH HAD OUR MINDS SET ON DOING THIS SAME TRIP AS WE HAVE DONE BEFORE, BUT NOT TOGETHER. A VERY REAL PROB WITH COMPLACENCY IS FEELING SO SURE THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND ALL IS GOOD, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT. TO HELP FIGHT THIS, I'VE MADE A MENTAL CHKLIST I CALL 'PACB.' STANDS FOR: PREFLT, ATIS, CLRNC, AND BRIEFINGS. ALTHOUGH IT WON'T SOLVE ALL THE POSSIBLE PROBS, IT DOES HELP WHERE I'VE FALLEN SHORT BEFORE. I'VE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE TO NOT FALL INTO THE COMPLACENCY TRAP. JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME TRIP I'VE DONE MANY TIMES, DOESN'T MEAN I CAN SIT BACK AND RELAX, BUT TO TREAT IT AS A NEW EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME.

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.