ATCT local controller changed the intial departure route without a full routing.

Attributes
ACN	153592
Time
Date	199008
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	153592
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

There has been a disturbing trend recently among ATC controllers of issuing revised clrncs that are incomplete. This has occurred sporadically all over the system. But the worse abuse has been at dfw during departures. For instance you might be cleared initially for a worth 4 SID, amarillo transition, which involves initially turning to join the dfw 274 degree right. Then after takeoff, departure control says, 'join the 252 degree right and expect a chance in routing from ZFW.' this usually happens when there are thunderstorms in the area and ATC is trying to realign everyone over the remaining rtes which are storm free. The problem with this is obvious and negates the whole intent of the formal clearance methodology that has been formulated over the yrs. Namely, what do you do in case of radio failure? If your initial routing is over amarillo, but you intercept the 262 degree right which takes you over lubbock and you receive no further instructions, what exactly is your prescribed course of action? I am making my concerns known through our airline channels, but I thought you might like to be aware of a growing problem with airborne clrncs in general.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR CHANGED THE INTIAL DEP ROUTE WITHOUT A FULL ROUTING.

Narrative: THERE HAS BEEN A DISTURBING TREND RECENTLY AMONG ATC CTLRS OF ISSUING REVISED CLRNCS THAT ARE INCOMPLETE. THIS HAS OCCURRED SPORADICALLY ALL OVER THE SYS. BUT THE WORSE ABUSE HAS BEEN AT DFW DURING DEPS. FOR INSTANCE YOU MIGHT BE CLRED INITIALLY FOR A WORTH 4 SID, AMARILLO TRANSITION, WHICH INVOLVES INITIALLY TURNING TO JOIN THE DFW 274 DEG R. THEN AFTER TKOF, DEP CTL SAYS, 'JOIN THE 252 DEG R AND EXPECT A CHANCE IN RTING FROM ZFW.' THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE TSTMS IN THE AREA AND ATC IS TRYING TO REALIGN EVERYONE OVER THE REMAINING RTES WHICH ARE STORM FREE. THE PROB WITH THIS IS OBVIOUS AND NEGATES THE WHOLE INTENT OF THE FORMAL CLRNC METHODOLOGY THAT HAS BEEN FORMULATED OVER THE YRS. NAMELY, WHAT DO YOU DO IN CASE OF RADIO FAILURE? IF YOUR INITIAL RTING IS OVER AMARILLO, BUT YOU INTERCEPT THE 262 DEG R WHICH TAKES YOU OVER LUBBOCK AND YOU RECEIVE NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR PRESCRIBED COURSE OF ACTION? I AM MAKING MY CONCERNS KNOWN THROUGH OUR AIRLINE CHANNELS, BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO BE AWARE OF A GROWING PROB WITH AIRBORNE CLRNCS IN GENERAL.

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.