Narrative:

After receiving a lengthy departure clearance from the sdl ground controller (which both captain and first officer were familiar with) we were cleared for takeoff by sdl tower and departed runway 03. According to our clearance, we began a left climbing turn to heading 260 degrees and 5000' MSL, all the while prepared to intercept the srp 325 degree right nwbnd. After a longer period of time than we normally experienced prior to being handed off to departure, we prompted the sdl tower controller and were advised to switch to the phx departure frequency 120.7. We reported to phx departure that we were heading 260 degrees, level at 5000'. Departure acknowledged our transmission, and from what the captain and I recall, we were instructed to maintain our original 260 degree heading and climb to 6000'. In retrospect, both the captain and I then felt this new clearance negated our previous clearance and we continued on our 260 degree heading. Shortly thereafter we were further instructed to contact phx approach frequency 120.9. This new departure frequency was very busy. After 2 or 3 attempts we finally contacted phx approach with possibly a somewhat abbreviated message, 'climbing to 6000'.' we were then instructed by this second departure controller to climb and maintain 7000', turn right heading 070 degrees, which we acknowledged and were further instructed to 'expedite turn to 070 degrees.' this same controller, a short time later, queried us as to why we had overflow the srp 325 degree right (which was part of our first departure clearance). This question took both the captain and myself by surprise because we had felt that we were given a new clearance, 'maintain heading 260 degrees,' which had precedence over our previous clearance. There was obviously some miscom between ourselves and the departure controllers, or between the controllers themselves. Only the recorded communications may lead to the answer. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: there was no loss of sep and reporter does not think the tapes were ever played. Stated the controller was very busy and thinks controller just neglected to state to intercept radial after giving maintain heading. Reporter suggested that since this radial off or srp (both a victor and high altitude arwy) is heavily used for northwest departures, it be incorporated in a SID to cut down communication time on clearance delivery.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR GAVE INCOMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS CAUSING TRACK DEVIATION BY CORP MDT. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING A LENGTHY DEP CLRNC FROM THE SDL GND CTLR (WHICH BOTH CAPT AND F/O WERE FAMILIAR WITH) WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF BY SDL TWR AND DEPARTED RWY 03. ACCORDING TO OUR CLRNC, WE BEGAN A LEFT CLBING TURN TO HDG 260 DEGS AND 5000' MSL, ALL THE WHILE PREPARED TO INTERCEPT THE SRP 325 DEG R NWBND. AFTER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAN WE NORMALLY EXPERIENCED PRIOR TO BEING HANDED OFF TO DEP, WE PROMPTED THE SDL TWR CTLR AND WERE ADVISED TO SWITCH TO THE PHX DEP FREQ 120.7. WE RPTED TO PHX DEP THAT WE WERE HDG 260 DEGS, LEVEL AT 5000'. DEP ACKNOWLEDGED OUR XMISSION, AND FROM WHAT THE CAPT AND I RECALL, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN OUR ORIGINAL 260 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 6000'. IN RETROSPECT, BOTH THE CAPT AND I THEN FELT THIS NEW CLRNC NEGATED OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR 260 DEG HDG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE FURTHER INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT PHX APCH FREQ 120.9. THIS NEW DEP FREQ WAS VERY BUSY. AFTER 2 OR 3 ATTEMPTS WE FINALLY CONTACTED PHX APCH WITH POSSIBLY A SOMEWHAT ABBREVIATED MESSAGE, 'CLBING TO 6000'.' WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED BY THIS SECOND DEP CTLR TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000', TURN RIGHT HDG 070 DEGS, WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND WERE FURTHER INSTRUCTED TO 'EXPEDITE TURN TO 070 DEGS.' THIS SAME CTLR, A SHORT TIME LATER, QUERIED US AS TO WHY WE HAD OVERFLOW THE SRP 325 DEG R (WHICH WAS PART OF OUR FIRST DEP CLRNC). THIS QUESTION TOOK BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF BY SURPRISE BECAUSE WE HAD FELT THAT WE WERE GIVEN A NEW CLRNC, 'MAINTAIN HDG 260 DEGS,' WHICH HAD PRECEDENCE OVER OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC. THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY SOME MISCOM BTWN OURSELVES AND THE DEP CTLRS, OR BTWN THE CTLRS THEMSELVES. ONLY THE RECORDED COMS MAY LEAD TO THE ANSWER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEP AND RPTR DOES NOT THINK THE TAPES WERE EVER PLAYED. STATED THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND THINKS CTLR JUST NEGLECTED TO STATE TO INTERCEPT RADIAL AFTER GIVING MAINTAIN HDG. RPTR SUGGESTED THAT SINCE THIS RADIAL OFF OR SRP (BOTH A VICTOR AND HIGH ALT ARWY) IS HEAVILY USED FOR NW DEPS, IT BE INCORPORATED IN A SID TO CUT DOWN COM TIME ON CLRNC DELIVERY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.