Narrative:

Our clearance as received from slc clearance delivery was '...to stl via slc 3 departure then as filed except change route to read J154 ocs, maintain 8000, departure frequency 135.5, squawk XXXX.' after receiving the clearance, the captain and first officer discussed the departure and route change. I was able to review the route change on my chart, but as flight engineer, I do not possess a copy of the SID. Crew member duties for this leg were captain as PNF and first officer as PF. After being cleared into position and hold on runway 34R, the tower controller advised '...cleared for takeoff.' after being switched to departure control, we were cleared to 16000 ft. During this portion of the climb, while in IMC and with thunderstorms reported on slc ATIS, the captain was adjusting the WX radar and I was observing the temperature since engine anti ice was on and the total air temperature was increasing. At approximately 8000 to 9000 ft MSL, the first officer initiated a right turn (from our heading of 340 degree) and, based on our proximity to slc VOR, the captain and I assumed that the turn was to intercept J154 eastbound. During the turn departure control asked us to state our heading. The captain replied 'coming through 030 degree in the turn', whereby the controller issued 'an immediate left turn to 340 degrees, expedite climb through 12000.' a left turn was initiated at a 30 degree bank while climbing at 210 KIAS. During the turn back to 340 degrees, the radar altimeter indicators remained out of view (above 2500 ft AGL). Departure control informed us that we were to maintain runway heading until receiving vectors on course. A subsequent review of the slc 3 SID confirmed this. Supplemental information from acn 193934: when departure first questioned us we were at 3 DME northeast of slc VOR climbing through 8800 ft. I think that there was confusion when we were cleared via slc #3 except to join J-154. The WX was IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT TURNED FROM ASSIGNED SID HDG TOWARD MOUNTAINS WHILE STILL BELOW MIN XING ALT.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC AS RECEIVED FROM SLC CLRNC DELIVERY WAS '...TO STL VIA SLC 3 DEP THEN AS FILED EXCEPT CHANGE RTE TO READ J154 OCS, MAINTAIN 8000, DEP FREQ 135.5, SQUAWK XXXX.' AFTER RECEIVING THE CLRNC, THE CAPT AND FO DISCUSSED THE DEP AND RTE CHANGE. I WAS ABLE TO REVIEW THE RTE CHANGE ON MY CHART, BUT AS FLT ENGINEER, I DO NOT POSSESS A COPY OF THE SID. CREW MEMBER DUTIES FOR THIS LEG WERE CAPT AS PNF AND FO AS PF. AFTER BEING CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 34R, THE TWR CTLR ADVISED '...CLRED FOR TKOF.' AFTER BEING SWITCHED TO DEP CTL, WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT. DURING THIS PORTION OF THE CLB, WHILE IN IMC AND WITH TSTMS RPTED ON SLC ATIS, THE CAPT WAS ADJUSTING THE WX RADAR AND I WAS OBSERVING THE TEMP SINCE ENG ANTI ICE WAS ON AND THE TOTAL AIR TEMP WAS INCREASING. AT APPROX 8000 TO 9000 FT MSL, THE FO INITIATED A R TURN (FROM OUR HDG OF 340 DEG) AND, BASED ON OUR PROX TO SLC VOR, THE CAPT AND I ASSUMED THAT THE TURN WAS TO INTERCEPT J154 EBOUND. DURING THE TURN DEP CTL ASKED US TO STATE OUR HDG. THE CAPT REPLIED 'COMING THROUGH 030 DEG IN THE TURN', WHEREBY THE CTLR ISSUED 'AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 340 DEGS, EXPEDITE CLB THROUGH 12000.' A L TURN WAS INITIATED AT A 30 DEG BANK WHILE CLBING AT 210 KIAS. DURING THE TURN BACK TO 340 DEGS, THE RADAR ALTIMETER INDICATORS REMAINED OUT OF VIEW (ABOVE 2500 FT AGL). DEP CTL INFORMED US THAT WE WERE TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG UNTIL RECEIVING VECTORS ON COURSE. A SUBSEQUENT REVIEW OF THE SLC 3 SID CONFIRMED THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 193934: WHEN DEP FIRST QUESTIONED US WE WERE AT 3 DME NE OF SLC VOR CLBING THROUGH 8800 FT. I THINK THAT THERE WAS CONFUSION WHEN WE WERE CLRED VIA SLC #3 EXCEPT TO JOIN J-154. THE WX WAS IFR.

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.