Narrative:

We were operating a series of flts which began with a late departure and we were doing everything we could to be back on schedule. Departing ena for arc, I was flying the aircraft and deviated from our departure clearance. It was day IFR (2000' ceiling, 1 1/2 mi visibility in s-). We were cleared to make a right turn to a heading of 320 degrees, radar vectors to arc. Instead, I turned left to 010 degrees to the cmq beacon. Anc center had to hold our company aircraft at 4000' to avoid a conflict. He was cleared to 5000'. Anc center asked us what clearance the ena tower gave us. I looked at the takeoff data card, which read direct cmq 5000', and repeated this to him. Talking with my first officer, I found out that in fact the ena tower had cleared us to make a right turn to a heading 320 degrees. The engine ground control will not issue a prestart clearance (IFR) to the destination. To speed things up, our first officers are in the habit of posting the expected clearance on the flight data card to simplify things during our busy taxi to the runway. We ran the before takeoff checklist prior to receiving our clearance and briefed for the expected departure (left turn direct cmq). When we were issued our clrncs, I was preoccupied taxiing the aircraft on a slippery taxiway and missed the right turn to 320 degrees. Neither the first officer nor tower noticed my left turn at 500'. I would suggest that to avoid this occurrence: 1) ena ground should issue clrncs prior to start, 2) we should not post clrncs in advance, 3) we should not brief the departure until we reserve our clearance, and 4) I should not let the schedule unduly rush me or modify my procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION DURING DEP FROM ENA.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING A SERIES OF FLTS WHICH BEGAN WITH A LATE DEP AND WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING WE COULD TO BE BACK ON SCHEDULE. DEPARTING ENA FOR ARC, I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND DEVIATED FROM OUR DEP CLRNC. IT WAS DAY IFR (2000' CEILING, 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IN S-). WE WERE CLRED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO A HDG OF 320 DEGS, RADAR VECTORS TO ARC. INSTEAD, I TURNED LEFT TO 010 DEGS TO THE CMQ BEACON. ANC CENTER HAD TO HOLD OUR COMPANY ACFT AT 4000' TO AVOID A CONFLICT. HE WAS CLRED TO 5000'. ANC CENTER ASKED US WHAT CLRNC THE ENA TWR GAVE US. I LOOKED AT THE TKOF DATA CARD, WHICH READ DIRECT CMQ 5000', AND REPEATED THIS TO HIM. TALKING WITH MY F/O, I FOUND OUT THAT IN FACT THE ENA TWR HAD CLRED US TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO A HDG 320 DEGS. THE ENG GND CTL WILL NOT ISSUE A PRESTART CLRNC (IFR) TO THE DEST. TO SPD THINGS UP, OUR F/OS ARE IN THE HABIT OF POSTING THE EXPECTED CLRNC ON THE FLT DATA CARD TO SIMPLIFY THINGS DURING OUR BUSY TAXI TO THE RWY. WE RAN THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST PRIOR TO RECEIVING OUR CLRNC AND BRIEFED FOR THE EXPECTED DEP (LEFT TURN DIRECT CMQ). WHEN WE WERE ISSUED OUR CLRNCS, I WAS PREOCCUPIED TAXIING THE ACFT ON A SLIPPERY TXWY AND MISSED THE RIGHT TURN TO 320 DEGS. NEITHER THE F/O NOR TWR NOTICED MY LEFT TURN AT 500'. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT TO AVOID THIS OCCURRENCE: 1) ENA GND SHOULD ISSUE CLRNCS PRIOR TO START, 2) WE SHOULD NOT POST CLRNCS IN ADVANCE, 3) WE SHOULD NOT BRIEF THE DEP UNTIL WE RESERVE OUR CLRNC, AND 4) I SHOULD NOT LET THE SCHEDULE UNDULY RUSH ME OR MODIFY MY PROCS.

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.