Narrative:

Takeoff from runway 33 with clearance to 5000 ft. Shortly after liftoff a controller said turn right. There was confusion in the cockpit as to how much of a turn was requested. While aircraft was turning, the controller said to level at 2000 ft. Eventually the aircraft was cleared to keep turning right to intercept the departure airway. The initial confusion in the cockpit was caused by the sic who was not skilled in IFR navigation and reading IFR charts. The sic was working the radios and contributed to the confusion concerning the turn after departure. The controller said he meant for the aircraft to jog to the right to intercept the potomac river departure. The sic should receive some training concerning reading charts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRP SMT TRACK DEV ON SID FROM DCA.

Narrative: TKOF FROM RWY 33 WITH CLRNC TO 5000 FT. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF A CTLR SAID TURN R. THERE WAS CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT AS TO HOW MUCH OF A TURN WAS REQUESTED. WHILE ACFT WAS TURNING, THE CTLR SAID TO LEVEL AT 2000 FT. EVENTUALLY THE ACFT WAS CLRED TO KEEP TURNING R TO INTERCEPT THE DEP AIRWAY. THE INITIAL CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT WAS CAUSED BY THE SIC WHO WAS NOT SKILLED IN IFR NAV AND READING IFR CHARTS. THE SIC WAS WORKING THE RADIOS AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION CONCERNING THE TURN AFTER DEP. THE CTLR SAID HE MEANT FOR THE ACFT TO JOG TO THE R TO INTERCEPT THE POTOMAC RIVER DEP. THE SIC SHOULD RECEIVE SOME TRAINING CONCERNING READING CHARTS.

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.