Narrative:

ATC IFR en route clearance was obtained by the flight engineer and given to the copilot. The en route clearance to ord called for the lga 4 departure. The lga 4 departure and supplemental air carrier pages were reviewed and discussed with the flight crew with particular attention given paid to the departure instructions. It was noted that there was not a stated heading assignment on the lga 4 departure for this runway only. Lacking this information, I anticipated receiving a heading assignment from tower or departure at takeoff time, as is standard procedure at most airports and as specified in the ATC handbook 7110.65, section 3, page 4-5, item 4-21. Takeoff from runway 31 at lga was uneventful, with a frequency change given us at approximately 1200 ft after takeoff. Our takeoff clearance however, did not include a specific heading to be flown (verbal clearance). Upon contacting lga departure control (frequency 120.4 at PM41) we were asked by the controller what heading we were assigned by tower. The first officer responded that tower did not give us a heading and that we were on runway heading. The departure controller then gave us a right turn to heading 360 degrees. Shortly thereafter, the controller asked if a turn assignment was included in the ACARS ATC clearance we had received from 'tower.' we then noted that there was a notation in the ACARS clearance which specified 'runway 31 turn right heading 360.' in our haste, this note had been overlooked. The first officer stated that he had read this but forgot about it. The ACARS clearance printout had been retained by the first officer on the forward right console and I had solicited only verbal confirmation of our clearance. This note was not mentioned by the first officer during the verbal confirmation. In the future, I will make certain that I personally read the ACARS message. It is strongly recommended that the initial heading after takeoff be verbally specified by the tower controller as part of the takeoff clearance for every takeoff when a definite heading is not specified as part of the published SID as specified in the ATC controller's handbook. This includes sits where the IFR en route clearance was received via ACARS. A definite heading should be part of the lga 4 departure for runway 31. All other runways specify a definite heading. This will assist measurably the pre-departure flight crew planning and briefing for the departure and prevent a recurrence of the situation contained herein. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a line check airman for the airline. He will mention to his company's FAA liaison office the fact that there is little standardization in the format of the pre- departure clearance (pre departure clearance) output from airport, and suggest to the training department that crew persons must be more careful in their use of and reading of the pre departure clearance. He will also counsel his future first officer's not to hide this very important piece of paper on the other side of the cockpit. The FAA has not contacted him on this incident, and probably will not at this late date. The departure controller was upset with the reporter, but realizes that the pilots are expecting the tower to give a heading along with the takeoff clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CREW MISSED THE TURN AFTER TKOF THAT WAS LISTED ON THEIR PDC. CLRNC DELIVERY DID NOT VERIFY THAT THE CREW HAD THE EXPECTED TURN HDG.

Narrative: ATC IFR ENRTE CLRNC WAS OBTAINED BY THE FE AND GIVEN TO THE COPLT. THE ENRTE CLRNC TO ORD CALLED FOR THE LGA 4 DEP. THE LGA 4 DEP AND SUPPLEMENTAL ACR PAGES WERE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED WITH THE FLC WITH PARTICULAR ATTN GIVEN PAID TO THE DEP INSTRUCTIONS. IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS NOT A STATED HDG ASSIGNMENT ON THE LGA 4 DEP FOR THIS RWY ONLY. LACKING THIS INFO, I ANTICIPATED RECEIVING A HDG ASSIGNMENT FROM TWR OR DEP AT TKOF TIME, AS IS STANDARD PROC AT MOST ARPTS AND AS SPECIFIED IN THE ATC HANDBOOK 7110.65, SECTION 3, PAGE 4-5, ITEM 4-21. TKOF FROM RWY 31 AT LGA WAS UNEVENTFUL, WITH A FREQ CHANGE GIVEN US AT APPROX 1200 FT AFTER TKOF. OUR TKOF CLRNC HOWEVER, DID NOT INCLUDE A SPECIFIC HDG TO BE FLOWN (VERBAL CLRNC). UPON CONTACTING LGA DEP CTL (FREQ 120.4 AT PM41) WE WERE ASKED BY THE CTLR WHAT HDG WE WERE ASSIGNED BY TWR. THE FO RESPONDED THAT TWR DID NOT GIVE US A HDG AND THAT WE WERE ON RWY HDG. THE DEP CTLR THEN GAVE US A R TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CTLR ASKED IF A TURN ASSIGNMENT WAS INCLUDED IN THE ACARS ATC CLRNC WE HAD RECEIVED FROM 'TWR.' WE THEN NOTED THAT THERE WAS A NOTATION IN THE ACARS CLRNC WHICH SPECIFIED 'RWY 31 TURN R HDG 360.' IN OUR HASTE, THIS NOTE HAD BEEN OVERLOOKED. THE FO STATED THAT HE HAD READ THIS BUT FORGOT ABOUT IT. THE ACARS CLRNC PRINTOUT HAD BEEN RETAINED BY THE FO ON THE FORWARD R CONSOLE AND I HAD SOLICITED ONLY VERBAL CONFIRMATION OF OUR CLRNC. THIS NOTE WAS NOT MENTIONED BY THE FO DURING THE VERBAL CONFIRMATION. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT I PERSONALLY READ THE ACARS MESSAGE. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE INITIAL HDG AFTER TKOF BE VERBALLY SPECIFIED BY THE TWR CTLR AS PART OF THE TKOF CLRNC FOR EVERY TKOF WHEN A DEFINITE HDG IS NOT SPECIFIED AS PART OF THE PUBLISHED SID AS SPECIFIED IN THE ATC CTLR'S HANDBOOK. THIS INCLUDES SITS WHERE THE IFR ENRTE CLRNC WAS RECEIVED VIA ACARS. A DEFINITE HDG SHOULD BE PART OF THE LGA 4 DEP FOR RWY 31. ALL OTHER RWYS SPECIFY A DEFINITE HDG. THIS WILL ASSIST MEASURABLY THE PRE-DEP FLC PLANNING AND BRIEFING FOR THE DEP AND PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THE SIT CONTAINED HEREIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A LINE CHK AIRMAN FOR THE AIRLINE. HE WILL MENTION TO HIS COMPANY'S FAA LIAISON OFFICE THE FACT THAT THERE IS LITTLE STANDARDIZATION IN THE FORMAT OF THE PRE- DEP CLRNC (PDC) OUTPUT FROM ARPT, AND SUGGEST TO THE TRAINING DEPT THAT CREW PERSONS MUST BE MORE CAREFUL IN THEIR USE OF AND READING OF THE PDC. HE WILL ALSO COUNSEL HIS FUTURE FO'S NOT TO HIDE THIS VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF PAPER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED HIM ON THIS INCIDENT, AND PROBABLY WILL NOT AT THIS LATE DATE. THE DEP CTLR WAS UPSET WITH THE RPTR, BUT REALIZES THAT THE PLTS ARE EXPECTING THE TWR TO GIVE A HDG ALONG WITH THE TKOF CLRNC.

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.