Narrative:

I was captain of flight from dca to roa on 8/X/91. Our departure instructions were northwest via the dca noise abatement procedures. The procedure states for 2 engine propellers to follow the potomac river after departing runway 33. From takeoff climb to 1500 ft before turning on course unless instructed to turn sooner by ATC. After departure from runway 33 we climbed over the river. At 1500 ft I instructed the first officer to begin the left turn on course. A few moments into the turn departure asked us for our heading. I replied and he followed with a turn northbound for traffic. After some discussion about the procedure he stated that he 'expected us to follow the river until it turned into a tiny stream and could not see it any more.' this however, is the route for jet aircraft to fly per the noise abatement procedure. The problem here is that what is written on commercial chart 10-4 dated 11/X/89 for dca is not what is 'expected'. I place a call to dca radar supervisor and discussed the situation with him and after he read this procedure he stated 'this is a problem.' he also indicated that they 'expect' us to fly the river. Normal procedure for us is a heading issued by tower upon takeoff so we rarely fly the full noise abatement procedure. To correct this problem would be to change dec 10-4 chart to reflect what is 'expected' by dca departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC CLAIM THAT ACR MDT DID NOT FOLLOW DCA NOISE PROC.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT OF FLT FROM DCA TO ROA ON 8/X/91. OUR DEP INSTRUCTIONS WERE NW VIA THE DCA NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS. THE PROC STATES FOR 2 ENG PROPS TO FOLLOW THE POTOMAC RIVER AFTER DEPARTING RWY 33. FROM TKOF CLB TO 1500 FT BEFORE TURNING ON COURSE UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO TURN SOONER BY ATC. AFTER DEP FROM RWY 33 WE CLBED OVER THE RIVER. AT 1500 FT I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO BEGIN THE L TURN ON COURSE. A FEW MOMENTS INTO THE TURN DEP ASKED US FOR OUR HDG. I REPLIED AND HE FOLLOWED WITH A TURN NBOUND FOR TFC. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROC HE STATED THAT HE 'EXPECTED US TO FOLLOW THE RIVER UNTIL IT TURNED INTO A TINY STREAM AND COULD NOT SEE IT ANY MORE.' THIS HOWEVER, IS THE RTE FOR JET ACFT TO FLY PER THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT WHAT IS WRITTEN ON COMMERCIAL CHART 10-4 DATED 11/X/89 FOR DCA IS NOT WHAT IS 'EXPECTED'. I PLACE A CALL TO DCA RADAR SUPVR AND DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH HIM AND AFTER HE READ THIS PROC HE STATED 'THIS IS A PROBLEM.' HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY 'EXPECT' US TO FLY THE RIVER. NORMAL PROC FOR US IS A HDG ISSUED BY TWR UPON TKOF SO WE RARELY FLY THE FULL NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE TO CHANGE DEC 10-4 CHART TO REFLECT WHAT IS 'EXPECTED' BY DCA DEP.

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.