Narrative:

While taxiing out to depart on runway 14 at ith airport, the tower advised us that the visibility had dropped 3/4 of a mi. The minimum visibility for the VOR approach to runway 14 is 1 mi. I asked the captain if he wanted me to get us a takeoff alternate, he said yes and that he would monitor the tower. While I was talking to our company on the #2 radio, the tower cleared us for takeoff. I think he said fly runway heading. The captain told the tower controller that we would be a min. After I received our takeoff alternate, I advised the tower that we were ready and he cleared us for takeoff. Just after takeoff, the tower controller switched us over to elmira departure control. I first checked in at about 400 ft. The controller said to turn right to a 120 degree heading. After we climbed to altitude en route to pittsburgh, I asked the captain if he was familiar with the IFR departure procedure for runway 14. He said that he was not. It states the following: 'runway 14, climbing right turn to 2500 ft via ith VOR R200 before proceeding on course.' this is listed on the 11-1 page of our operations manual. I then asked the captain if we should have flown the procedure because the tower controller did not specify any instructions other than 'cleared for takeoff.' the captain indicated that he did not know (this was our second takeoff clearance). I believe that we should have initiated the procedure since we did not receive any other instruction other than cleared for takeoff from the tower on our second clearance. During IFR conditions the tower controllers should be required to issue specific instructions. Such as 'fly the IFR departure procedure for runway 14, cleared for takeoff.' this would alert the crews that there is a procedure. The 120 degree heading would have prevented us from flying the procedure anyway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC FAILS TO FOLLOW PUB DEP PROC.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OUT TO DEPART ON RWY 14 AT ITH ARPT, THE TWR ADVISED US THAT THE VISIBILITY HAD DROPPED 3/4 OF A MI. THE MINIMUM VISIBILITY FOR THE VOR APCH TO RWY 14 IS 1 MI. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED ME TO GET US A TKOF ALTERNATE, HE SAID YES AND THAT HE WOULD MONITOR THE TWR. WHILE I WAS TALKING TO OUR COMPANY ON THE #2 RADIO, THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. I THINK HE SAID FLY RWY HDG. THE CAPT TOLD THE TWR CTLR THAT WE WOULD BE A MIN. AFTER I RECEIVED OUR TKOF ALTERNATE, I ADVISED THE TWR THAT WE WERE READY AND HE CLRED US FOR TKOF. JUST AFTER TKOF, THE TWR CTLR SWITCHED US OVER TO ELMIRA DEP CTL. I FIRST CHKED IN AT ABOUT 400 FT. THE CTLR SAID TO TURN R TO A 120 DEG HDG. AFTER WE CLBED TO ALT ENRTE TO PITTSBURGH, I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE IFR DEP PROC FOR RWY 14. HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT. IT STATES THE FOLLOWING: 'RWY 14, CLBING R TURN TO 2500 FT VIA ITH VOR R200 BEFORE PROCEEDING ON COURSE.' THIS IS LISTED ON THE 11-1 PAGE OF OUR OPS MANUAL. I THEN ASKED THE CAPT IF WE SHOULD HAVE FLOWN THE PROC BECAUSE THE TWR CTLR DID NOT SPECIFY ANY INSTRUCTIONS OTHER THAN 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' THE CAPT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW (THIS WAS OUR SECOND TKOF CLRNC). I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE INITIATED THE PROC SINCE WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OTHER INSTRUCTION OTHER THAN CLRED FOR TKOF FROM THE TWR ON OUR SECOND CLRNC. DURING IFR CONDITIONS THE TWR CTLRS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS. SUCH AS 'FLY THE IFR DEP PROC FOR RWY 14, CLRED FOR TKOF.' THIS WOULD ALERT THE CREWS THAT THERE IS A PROC. THE 120 DEG HDG WOULD HAVE PREVENTED US FROM FLYING THE PROC ANYWAY.

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.