An air carrier widebody transport misread its pre-departure clearance and flew the wrong SID.

Attributes
ACN	222186
Time
Date	199209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	222186
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	222419
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight heavy departed lax on the laxx 1 departure (which was the filed departure). The 2 aircraft in front of us were instructed to fly a heading of 250 degrees. We were not given a heading to fly. Shortly after contacting departure control, he asked us if we were given a heading. We said no, that our pre-departure clearance said laxx 1. The controller informed us that, at that time of day, we should be on the loop departure, which is a heading of 235 degrees after crossing the 160 degree radial of smo and climb to 2000 ft. Later, when we had time, we rechked the pre-departure clearance and found that further down into the text, our departure had been changed to the loop departure. Supplemental information from acn 222419: before taxi I read our pre-departure clearance. It stated laxx 1, daggett, etc...den. After takeoff, we turned as per laxx 1 SID. Departure control asked what departure we were flying. Departure stated we should be flying loop. We proceeded to fly loop with no conflicts and made all restrictions handily. After 10000 ft, we reviewed SID. It included loop departure and laxx 1 departure. Pre-departure clearance not clear. We should have questioned departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB MISREAD ITS PRE-DEP CLRNC AND FLEW THE WRONG SID.

Narrative: FLT HVY DEPARTED LAX ON THE LAXX 1 DEP (WHICH WAS THE FILED DEP). THE 2 ACFT IN FRONT OF US WERE INSTRUCTED TO FLY A HDG OF 250 DEGS. WE WERE NOT GIVEN A HDG TO FLY. SHORTLY AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL, HE ASKED US IF WE WERE GIVEN A HDG. WE SAID NO, THAT OUR PRE-DEP CLRNC SAID LAXX 1. THE CTLR INFORMED US THAT, AT THAT TIME OF DAY, WE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOP DEP, WHICH IS A HDG OF 235 DEGS AFTER XING THE 160 DEG RADIAL OF SMO AND CLB TO 2000 FT. LATER, WHEN WE HAD TIME, WE RECHKED THE PRE-DEP CLRNC AND FOUND THAT FURTHER DOWN INTO THE TEXT, OUR DEP HAD BEEN CHANGED TO THE LOOP DEP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 222419: BEFORE TAXI I READ OUR PRE-DEP CLRNC. IT STATED LAXX 1, DAGGETT, ETC...DEN. AFTER TKOF, WE TURNED AS PER LAXX 1 SID. DEP CTL ASKED WHAT DEP WE WERE FLYING. DEP STATED WE SHOULD BE FLYING LOOP. WE PROCEEDED TO FLY LOOP WITH NO CONFLICTS AND MADE ALL RESTRICTIONS HANDILY. AFTER 10000 FT, WE REVIEWED SID. IT INCLUDED LOOP DEP AND LAXX 1 DEP. PRE-DEP CLRNC NOT CLR. WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED 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.