Narrative:

We requested a clearance via the ACARS during our preflight preparations and then read through the checklist. Unfortunately; the company has just changed the checklist and taken the transponder item out of the preflight portion of the checklist. This is normally the place where I xchk the transponder code with what we have entered and also this is the point in the checklist where we actually verify that we do in fact have a clearance. This is a very bad change to the checklist and should be fixed back to the way it was or you are going to see a lot more of the problems we encountered develop. The ACARS printed response was that there was 'no departure clearance message on file contact clearance delivery with voice request.' after this; the first officer was distraction with other preflight activities and we never ended up calling to get a voice delivery of the clearance. As it got close to departure time; I never noticed that we didn't have a clearance and that there wasn't a transponder code dialed into the transponder because it's now something that we don't check because you guys changed our checklist. When the 10 min drill checklist was read; the response is 'transponder? TA/RA.' it was placed to TA/RA and once again we never caught the fact that a code other than 2000 was entered into the box thereby reminding us to pick up the voice clearance. When we called for push; ground gave us taxi instructions and the tower cleared us for takeoff. It wasn't until we were airborne and ATC asked us to enter the correct transponder code that it occurred to us that we were never issued a clearance. We assumed that ATC's computers must have generated a clearance on their end as a result of our original pre departure clearance request. You guys in the schoolhouse should be supporting us on the line with good checklists. I see this whole deal lying at the feet of whoever changed a very good checklist into what is now a really bad checklist. Please change the checklist back to the way it was; so that this does not happen again.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CREW DEPARTED PHL WITHOUT A CLRNC BECAUSE OF AN ACR CHKLIST FORMAT CHANGE AND PREFLT DISTRS.

Narrative: WE REQUESTED A CLRNC VIA THE ACARS DURING OUR PREFLT PREPARATIONS AND THEN READ THROUGH THE CHKLIST. UNFORTUNATELY; THE COMPANY HAS JUST CHANGED THE CHKLIST AND TAKEN THE XPONDER ITEM OUT OF THE PREFLT PORTION OF THE CHKLIST. THIS IS NORMALLY THE PLACE WHERE I XCHK THE XPONDER CODE WITH WHAT WE HAVE ENTERED AND ALSO THIS IS THE POINT IN THE CHKLIST WHERE WE ACTUALLY VERIFY THAT WE DO IN FACT HAVE A CLRNC. THIS IS A VERY BAD CHANGE TO THE CHKLIST AND SHOULD BE FIXED BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS OR YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THE PROBS WE ENCOUNTERED DEVELOP. THE ACARS PRINTED RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE WAS 'NO DEP CLRNC MESSAGE ON FILE CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY WITH VOICE REQUEST.' AFTER THIS; THE FO WAS DISTR WITH OTHER PREFLT ACTIVITIES AND WE NEVER ENDED UP CALLING TO GET A VOICE DELIVERY OF THE CLRNC. AS IT GOT CLOSE TO DEP TIME; I NEVER NOTICED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLRNC AND THAT THERE WASN'T A XPONDER CODE DIALED INTO THE XPONDER BECAUSE IT'S NOW SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T CHK BECAUSE YOU GUYS CHANGED OUR CHKLIST. WHEN THE 10 MIN DRILL CHKLIST WAS READ; THE RESPONSE IS 'XPONDER? TA/RA.' IT WAS PLACED TO TA/RA AND ONCE AGAIN WE NEVER CAUGHT THE FACT THAT A CODE OTHER THAN 2000 WAS ENTERED INTO THE BOX THEREBY REMINDING US TO PICK UP THE VOICE CLRNC. WHEN WE CALLED FOR PUSH; GND GAVE US TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE AIRBORNE AND ATC ASKED US TO ENTER THE CORRECT XPONDER CODE THAT IT OCCURRED TO US THAT WE WERE NEVER ISSUED A CLRNC. WE ASSUMED THAT ATC'S COMPUTERS MUST HAVE GENERATED A CLRNC ON THEIR END AS A RESULT OF OUR ORIGINAL PDC REQUEST. YOU GUYS IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING US ON THE LINE WITH GOOD CHKLISTS. I SEE THIS WHOLE DEAL LYING AT THE FEET OF WHOEVER CHANGED A VERY GOOD CHKLIST INTO WHAT IS NOW A REALLY BAD CHKLIST. PLEASE CHANGE THE CHKLIST BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS; SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.