Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Confusion; Fatigue; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
We had a very long day with a very early report time. We had MX issues every leg. The previous 2 issues (APU; R Static heat) were ops checked good. This was our third leg. We had lots of rolling flow delays. Our flow time was moved up to a somewhat close time. We boarded; and decided to wait our flow time out at the gate. It was for about 25 minutes. At this point we noticed the takeoff data was 'hanging' and not completing. We double and triple checked the usual problems; passwords; airport and runway numbers; etc. I called dispatch to see if no in time had recorded from the previous flight. Dispatch said that everything looked good on their end. I then was transferred to MX control. We could not get takeoff data so we deferred the ACARS unit.While I was doing this; the FO (First Officer) was doing a manual W&B. Our flow time was rapidly approaching. As I finished with MX control; he said 'OK; I will put you back in service.' I then looked over the W&B and found an error that required re-doing it. We were about 2 hours late at this point; and I really didn't want to miss our flow time. I redid the W&B; reviewed the MEL; looked up the dispatch Radio freq; and closed up. While taxiing out; Ground notified us that our release had timed out; but that he had a new one with no changes except the squawk. We had a new release; because I had talked with several different dispatchers regarding our flow times. The most recent dispatcher had given us a new release with valid weather; a revised time and a new fuel load. I figured this had something to do with ACARS inability to give us any takeoff data. We took off; and headed to our destination; a very short distance away. We received an ACARS msg in flight inquiring if we had received a new release with the MEL. I spoke with dispatch on the ground about it; as we were getting busy with the approach; and the knowledge that I had screwed up was distracting enough.Flow delays and the fear of missing them are powerful motivators; and can be very distracting. The previous write ups that were fixed and required no action from dispatch were probably sort of lulling me into a pattern of 'I have a problem; I call MX; they fix it; I'm done'. As a commuter; I rarely work early morning flights. I had just come off of 10 days off. I may be a little rusty. Dispatch now often sends us the amended release via ACARS; requiring no real action from us. With the ACARS being deferred; that isn't going to happen. The statement of 'you are back in service' sort of makes you think that you have dealt with the issue and you are good to go. Please don't take that last sentence as blaming MX control; as it was definitely my fault alone; but it sort of leads you to think that the problem is solved.The real root of the problem was rushing. Trying to meet a flow time can unfortunately cause us to rush. I realize the rush is self-imposed; but it still happens. I try to tell myself to slow down; as nearly every one of these dang things has rushing as a cause; but that whole mission completion thing is tough. When you have been at the gate; listening to peoples woes about missed connections; leading to missed funerals; visits with family etc.; it weighs on your mind; even if subliminally. I find this particularly frustrating as I know this has been a focus of the company and the FAA for a while now. Perhaps something in the MEL or DMI card requiring us to get the dispatchers initials? The need for the return to service works great; if ACARS is working.
I received a call from MX control prior to departure that the ACARS on the aircraft had been deferred and the crew would be doing a manual manifest. After I hung up I started working up a new amended release with the deferral and called ATC to pull the strip so it could be refiled with an updated time/equipment while the aircraft was out of service. I generated the new release and sent it after the TLR was done. I was pulling up the captain's phone number to verify that he received the amended release when I was notified by the next dispatcher that they had taken off and the flight had shown up on his [list] showing it hadn't been returned to service. (I usually wait for verification on MEL amendments from the PIC before returning aircraft to service.) After the flight had reached 10;000 ft I sent an ACARS to the aircraft asking if they had received the amended release; but probably since it was a short flight and the ACARS was deferred didn't receive a response. I called the captain after they landed and he already realized he had forgotten the amendment and was planning on filling out a [report]. I think the crew got busy working up the manual manifest and was rushing to go since the ground delay was cancelled; so when they got their new clearance they just thought they were good and forgot they were missing the amendment.Crews should have more responsibility in the amendment process. The [manual] states that it is the responsibility of the dispatcher to ensure the crew has received an amended release; but I have no sure way to stop them departing short of pulling the strip whenever an amendment is required and refiling once the amendment is verified. In the case of added/removed MELs I feel the crews are already or should be aware that an amendment is required without the dispatcher telling them so.
CRJ-200 flight crew and Dispatcher reported the hurried crew departed without a new release.