Pilot deviated from SID due to reporter's interpretation of the narrative portions.

Attributes
ACN	166852
Time
Date	199101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 9250 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	166852
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing clt, the departure clearance was: 'hornet 2 departure, gaffe north transition, maintain 8000'.' this SID is poorly written. After departing on runway 18R you cross over clt VOR, instinct is to track outbnd on the 270 degree right, which is the gaffe north transition. If you read the left side of the SID, it states, 'turbojet all other runways: fly runway heading thence.' thence, in my opinion, is to proceed with the transition. If you read the right side of the SID, it states: 'all aircraft cleared as filed via vectors to intercept assigned radial associated with issued transition.' since departure on 18R puts you over the VOR (thus no need for a vector), it is instinctive and logical to proceed outbnd on the specified transition radial. After departing runway 18R, I turned outbnd on the 270 degree right and was told to turn back to runway heading. Takeoff clearance should have been, 'cleared for takeoff, maintain runway heading.' the word 'thence' should be eliminated from this SID.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEVIATED FROM SID DUE TO REPORTER'S INTERPRETATION OF THE NARRATIVE PORTIONS.

Narrative: DEPARTING CLT, THE DEP CLRNC WAS: 'HORNET 2 DEP, GAFFE N TRANSITION, MAINTAIN 8000'.' THIS SID IS POORLY WRITTEN. AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 18R YOU CROSS OVER CLT VOR, INSTINCT IS TO TRACK OUTBND ON THE 270 DEG R, WHICH IS THE GAFFE N TRANSITION. IF YOU READ THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SID, IT STATES, 'TURBOJET ALL OTHER RWYS: FLY RWY HDG THENCE.' THENCE, IN MY OPINION, IS TO PROCEED WITH THE TRANSITION. IF YOU READ THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SID, IT STATES: 'ALL ACFT CLRED AS FILED VIA VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ASSIGNED RADIAL ASSOCIATED WITH ISSUED TRANSITION.' SINCE DEP ON 18R PUTS YOU OVER THE VOR (THUS NO NEED FOR A VECTOR), IT IS INSTINCTIVE AND LOGICAL TO PROCEED OUTBND ON THE SPECIFIED TRANSITION RADIAL. AFTER DEPARTING RWY 18R, I TURNED OUTBND ON THE 270 DEG R AND WAS TOLD TO TURN BACK TO RWY HDG. TKOF CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN, 'CLRED FOR TKOF, MAINTAIN RWY HDG.' THE WORD 'THENCE' SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM THIS SID.

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.