Narrative:

I loaded the FMS with the filed route, which was: sea-olm- pdx. Later after receiving the pre-departure clearance, I loaded the filed route as read off by the first officer (hlns, hlns 1, pdx). Our takeoff clearance included 'fly the sea 158 radial, maintain 6000.' after changing to departure control we were given 'cleared on course, maintain 16000.' because I was still hand flying the airplane, the first officer loaded direct olm into the computer and selected LNAV. I asked him if that was our clearance or someone else's. He replied that it was ours. Within 2 mins ATC asked, 'where are you going?' we replied that we had been cleared on course and up to 16000. ATC then replied that we were off course, 'fly heading 140 and intercept the sea 158 to the 71 DME which is hlns.' we immediately turned to 140 and intercepted the sea 158 radial. Suggestions/recommendations: as we inspected the pre-departure clearance more carefully, we found that on or near the top was the filed route. Several lines down we found the clearance. Because of other pressures on the crew at departure time, i.e., checklist completion, ACARS entries, cockpit to ground crew communications, etc, there was a tendency to give a higher priority to the top line of the pre-departure clearance message than to lines farther down where the clearance routing is located. In addition, the company filed a route that conflicts with normal traffic configns. I feel it would be helpful if the company could: 1) delete the filed route completely from the pre departure clearance (that information is readily available on the flight plan and WX messages) and locate the cleared routing at the top of the message. 2) file a route that is likely to be the same as the one issued by ATC. 3) indefinite clrncs such as 'fly out the sea 158 degree radial' with no clearance limit specified, add confusion rather than clarification. Since that was what we were cleared to do and were doing, the new clearance, 'cleared on course, maintain 16000' introduces a gnawing suspicion that we have not been on course. 4) an important purpose of the pre departure clearance is to reduce the number of required voice instruction/communications. Issuance of redundant instructions defeats this purpose and introduces a greater workload upon the flight crew as well as the controller. We hope that the pre departure clearance can contribute to safety and smooth flow instead of degrading them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TRACK HDG DEV ON SID FROM SEA.

Narrative: I LOADED THE FMS WITH THE FILED RTE, WHICH WAS: SEA-OLM- PDX. LATER AFTER RECEIVING THE PRE-DEP CLRNC, I LOADED THE FILED RTE AS READ OFF BY THE FO (HLNS, HLNS 1, PDX). OUR TKOF CLRNC INCLUDED 'FLY THE SEA 158 RADIAL, MAINTAIN 6000.' AFTER CHANGING TO DEP CTL WE WERE GIVEN 'CLRED ON COURSE, MAINTAIN 16000.' BECAUSE I WAS STILL HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE, THE FO LOADED DIRECT OLM INTO THE COMPUTER AND SELECTED LNAV. I ASKED HIM IF THAT WAS OUR CLRNC OR SOMEONE ELSE'S. HE REPLIED THAT IT WAS OURS. WITHIN 2 MINS ATC ASKED, 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' WE REPLIED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED ON COURSE AND UP TO 16000. ATC THEN REPLIED THAT WE WERE OFF COURSE, 'FLY HDG 140 AND INTERCEPT THE SEA 158 TO THE 71 DME WHICH IS HLNS.' WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO 140 AND INTERCEPTED THE SEA 158 RADIAL. SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: AS WE INSPECTED THE PRE-DEP CLRNC MORE CAREFULLY, WE FOUND THAT ON OR NEAR THE TOP WAS THE FILED RTE. SEVERAL LINES DOWN WE FOUND THE CLRNC. BECAUSE OF OTHER PRESSURES ON THE CREW AT DEP TIME, I.E., CHKLIST COMPLETION, ACARS ENTRIES, COCKPIT TO GND CREW COMS, ETC, THERE WAS A TENDENCY TO GIVE A HIGHER PRIORITY TO THE TOP LINE OF THE PRE-DEP CLRNC MESSAGE THAN TO LINES FARTHER DOWN WHERE THE CLRNC RTING IS LOCATED. IN ADDITION, THE COMPANY FILED A RTE THAT CONFLICTS WITH NORMAL TFC CONFIGNS. I FEEL IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE COMPANY COULD: 1) DELETE THE FILED RTE COMPLETELY FROM THE PDC (THAT INFO IS READILY AVAILABLE ON THE FLT PLAN AND WX MESSAGES) AND LOCATE THE CLRED RTING AT THE TOP OF THE MESSAGE. 2) FILE A RTE THAT IS LIKELY TO BE THE SAME AS THE ONE ISSUED BY ATC. 3) INDEFINITE CLRNCS SUCH AS 'FLY OUT THE SEA 158 DEG RADIAL' WITH NO CLRNC LIMIT SPECIFIED, ADD CONFUSION RATHER THAN CLARIFICATION. SINCE THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE CLRED TO DO AND WERE DOING, THE NEW CLRNC, 'CLRED ON COURSE, MAINTAIN 16000' INTRODUCES A GNAWING SUSPICION THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ON COURSE. 4) AN IMPORTANT PURPOSE OF THE PDC IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED VOICE INSTRUCTION/COMS. ISSUANCE OF REDUNDANT INSTRUCTIONS DEFEATS THIS PURPOSE AND INTRODUCES A GREATER WORKLOAD UPON THE FLC AS WELL AS THE CTLR. WE HOPE THAT THE PDC CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY AND SMOOTH FLOW INSTEAD OF DEGRADING THEM.

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.