Narrative:

The filed flight plan was 'dall 8 txk transition mei then as filed.' this information was loaded into the flight management computer (FMC) during preflight. Just prior to departure time, I received the ATC clearance via printed pre-departure clearance delivered by the gate agent -- along with final WX briefing data, weight and balance information, and fuel loading paperwork. The pre-departure clearance was 'dall 8 shv transition mei then as filed.' neither the copilot or I caught the change to the 'shv' transition. After takeoff, departure control gave us a 120 degree vector to 'join the departure.' we subsequently turned and joined the dfw 067 degree radial to txk. Departure control called and vectored us to a 130 degree heading, and asked why we had turned. I told him we were joining the txk transition. He then told us we were cleared the shv transition. We were given a frequency change and a clearance over shv. This airplane did not have a TCASII, we did not see any traffic nearby, and the controllers did not call out any possible traffic conflicts. Contributing factors: my home airport (dfw) -- possible over-familiarity with 'the usual.' printed pre-departure clearance should highlight changes to filed routing. Maybe bold print or something. Dall 8 txk mei flight plan route looks very similar to dall 8 shv mei flight plan route -- especially in cockpit lighting at night. Lack of communication between copilot and myself. I should have read the clearance aloud. I feel one of us would have then caught the change. Somewhat distracted by WX. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this aircraft does not yet have an ACARS, so the technique is for the gate agent to bring the pre departure clearance out with the other papers. Often this happens just as the door is being closed for departure, causing a last min rush. This is the case in this incident, along with WX concerns. The reporting captain believes that any change in the clearance sent to the cockpit from that which was requested by the company should be highlighted on the pre departure clearance paperwork.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER RECEIVING A REVISED PRE-DEP CLRNC, AN ACR WDB FLEW OUT THE RADIAL FOR THE ORIGINALLY FILED ROUTING.

Narrative: THE FILED FLT PLAN WAS 'DALL 8 TXK TRANSITION MEI THEN AS FILED.' THIS INFO WAS LOADED INTO THE FLT MGMNT COMPUTER (FMC) DURING PREFLT. JUST PRIOR TO DEP TIME, I RECEIVED THE ATC CLRNC VIA PRINTED PRE-DEP CLRNC DELIVERED BY THE GATE AGENT -- ALONG WITH FINAL WX BRIEFING DATA, WT AND BAL INFO, AND FUEL LOADING PAPERWORK. THE PRE-DEP CLRNC WAS 'DALL 8 SHV TRANSITION MEI THEN AS FILED.' NEITHER THE COPLT OR I CAUGHT THE CHANGE TO THE 'SHV' TRANSITION. AFTER TKOF, DEP CTL GAVE US A 120 DEG VECTOR TO 'JOIN THE DEP.' WE SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED AND JOINED THE DFW 067 DEG RADIAL TO TXK. DEP CTL CALLED AND VECTORED US TO A 130 DEG HDG, AND ASKED WHY WE HAD TURNED. I TOLD HIM WE WERE JOINING THE TXK TRANSITION. HE THEN TOLD US WE WERE CLRED THE SHV TRANSITION. WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE AND A CLRNC OVER SHV. THIS AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE A TCASII, WE DID NOT SEE ANY TFC NEARBY, AND THE CTLRS DID NOT CALL OUT ANY POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MY HOME ARPT (DFW) -- POSSIBLE OVER-FAMILIARITY WITH 'THE USUAL.' PRINTED PRE-DEP CLRNC SHOULD HIGHLIGHT CHANGES TO FILED ROUTING. MAYBE BOLD PRINT OR SOMETHING. DALL 8 TXK MEI FLT PLAN RTE LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO DALL 8 SHV MEI FLT PLAN RTE -- ESPECIALLY IN COCKPIT LIGHTING AT NIGHT. LACK OF COM BTWN COPLT AND MYSELF. I SHOULD HAVE READ THE CLRNC ALOUD. I FEEL ONE OF US WOULD HAVE THEN CAUGHT THE CHANGE. SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED BY WX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS ACFT DOES NOT YET HAVE AN ACARS, SO THE TECHNIQUE IS FOR THE GATE AGENT TO BRING THE PRE DEP CLRNC OUT WITH THE OTHER PAPERS. OFTEN THIS HAPPENS JUST AS THE DOOR IS BEING CLOSED FOR DEP, CAUSING A LAST MIN RUSH. THIS IS THE CASE IN THIS INCIDENT, ALONG WITH WX CONCERNS. THE RPTING CAPT BELIEVES THAT ANY CHANGE IN THE CLRNC SENT TO THE COCKPIT FROM THAT WHICH WAS REQUESTED BY THE COMPANY SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE PRE DEP CLRNC PAPERWORK.

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.