Narrative:

As we approached the active runway 4R we were #2 for departure. At XA49Z we received an ACARS message from dispatch; 'are you returning to the gate?' we responded 'no' and we were now #1 for departure. As we pulled out on the runway another ACARS came at XA50Z from dispatch; 'operations wanted to know.' we didn't respond to this ACARS as we were going to be airborne shortly. Moments after liftoff climbing to 3000 ft at XA52Z we again received an ACARS 'operations says you ingested something into one of your engines.' all engine parameters looked normal and we had no issues of concern. We later received a detailed message 'mdw operations has informed us that you ingested a fuel clean-up towel on the taxiway going out to takeoff. If everything shows good; maintenance control will have someone inspect engine.' we discussed that once we reached cruising altitude that I would get a phone patch with dispatch via comrdo and explained we were proceeding; everything appears normal; we were not given this information while on the ground and if contract maintenance could meet us for an inspection that would be great. We arrived at the gate and contract maintenance completed inspection and signed off the logbook; requiring a scope within 10 cycles. While on the ground I called dispatch and asked to speak with the dispatcher that sent us these messages. As he explained the information that was relayed to him via operations; he told me that operations said that we were notified via company radio about this situation which I told him that was incorrect. Having that information; I would have absolutely returned to a gate for maintenance action. I expressed my concerns that I thought our command and control of the airplane is a pilot dispatch area of responsibility and attempting to communication via ACARS has serious shortcomings. The time it takes to spell out a message; send and then receive a response which comes back at a time you might not be in a good position to respond; etc; ACARS just is not a cure-all for communications. We have at our disposal the ability for anyone on the ground to pick up a phone; call the tower and tell them that flight number must not depart due to a safety concern. Why that didn't happen is inexcusable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS FOD INGESTED INTO ENG AND IS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AFTER DEP.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED THE ACTIVE RWY 4R WE WERE #2 FOR DEP. AT XA49Z WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH; 'ARE YOU RETURNING TO THE GATE?' WE RESPONDED 'NO' AND WE WERE NOW #1 FOR DEP. AS WE PULLED OUT ON THE RWY ANOTHER ACARS CAME AT XA50Z FROM DISPATCH; 'OPS WANTED TO KNOW.' WE DIDN'T RESPOND TO THIS ACARS AS WE WERE GOING TO BE AIRBORNE SHORTLY. MOMENTS AFTER LIFTOFF CLBING TO 3000 FT AT XA52Z WE AGAIN RECEIVED AN ACARS 'OPS SAYS YOU INGESTED SOMETHING INTO ONE OF YOUR ENGS.' ALL ENG PARAMETERS LOOKED NORMAL AND WE HAD NO ISSUES OF CONCERN. WE LATER RECEIVED A DETAILED MESSAGE 'MDW OPS HAS INFORMED US THAT YOU INGESTED A FUEL CLEAN-UP TOWEL ON THE TXWY GOING OUT TO TKOF. IF EVERYTHING SHOWS GOOD; MAINT CTL WILL HAVE SOMEONE INSPECT ENG.' WE DISCUSSED THAT ONCE WE REACHED CRUISING ALT THAT I WOULD GET A PHONE PATCH WITH DISPATCH VIA COMRDO AND EXPLAINED WE WERE PROCEEDING; EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL; WE WERE NOT GIVEN THIS INFO WHILE ON THE GND AND IF CONTRACT MAINT COULD MEET US FOR AN INSPECTION THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND CONTRACT MAINT COMPLETED INSPECTION AND SIGNED OFF THE LOGBOOK; REQUIRING A SCOPE WITHIN 10 CYCLES. WHILE ON THE GND I CALLED DISPATCH AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE DISPATCHER THAT SENT US THESE MESSAGES. AS HE EXPLAINED THE INFO THAT WAS RELAYED TO HIM VIA OPS; HE TOLD ME THAT OPS SAID THAT WE WERE NOTIFIED VIA COMPANY RADIO ABOUT THIS SITUATION WHICH I TOLD HIM THAT WAS INCORRECT. HAVING THAT INFO; I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY RETURNED TO A GATE FOR MAINT ACTION. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS THAT I THOUGHT OUR COMMAND AND CTL OF THE AIRPLANE IS A PLT DISPATCH AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ATTEMPTING TO COM VIA ACARS HAS SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS. THE TIME IT TAKES TO SPELL OUT A MESSAGE; SEND AND THEN RECEIVE A RESPONSE WHICH COMES BACK AT A TIME YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN A GOOD POS TO RESPOND; ETC; ACARS JUST IS NOT A CURE-ALL FOR COMS. WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL THE ABILITY FOR ANYONE ON THE GND TO PICK UP A PHONE; CALL THE TWR AND TELL THEM THAT FLT NUMBER MUST NOT DEPART DUE TO A SAFETY CONCERN. WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IS INEXCUSABLE.

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.