Medium large transport flight crew misinterprets pre departure clearance. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	253555
Time
Date	199310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	253555
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Attached is copy of pre departure clearance message. After departure we thought we were going to get radar vectors to mkc after departure. In fact, the controller (departure) indicated we were supposed to fly the ozark 2 departure, hlv transition, then direct mkc. I feel the format and content of the pre departure clearance is misleading. We have 3 different 'indications' of routing: 'routing,' 'ATC clearance,' and 'flight plan routing.' as far as I'm concerned, the entire 'routing' should be in hyphens, it's all ATC clearance. If we want to put the filed route of flight readout right underneath for comparison, that might be helpful. Although we did not violate any clrncs, it was professionally embarrassing to find out after we were airborne that we had misunderstood the pre departure clearance. Routing -- ATC clearance -- OZARK2 hlv mkc. Flight plan routing -- stl..mkc.J24.hgo.J168.ioc..den/0200.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC MISINTERPRETS PDC. HDG DEV.

Narrative: ATTACHED IS COPY OF PDC MESSAGE. AFTER DEP WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET RADAR VECTORS TO MKC AFTER DEP. IN FACT, THE CTLR (DEP) INDICATED WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FLY THE OZARK 2 DEP, HLV TRANSITION, THEN DIRECT MKC. I FEEL THE FORMAT AND CONTENT OF THE PDC IS MISLEADING. WE HAVE 3 DIFFERENT 'INDICATIONS' OF ROUTING: 'ROUTING,' 'ATC CLRNC,' AND 'FLT PLAN ROUTING.' AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE ENTIRE 'ROUTING' SHOULD BE IN HYPHENS, IT'S ALL ATC CLRNC. IF WE WANT TO PUT THE FILED RTE OF FLT READOUT RIGHT UNDERNEATH FOR COMPARISON, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY CLRNCS, IT WAS PROFESSIONALLY EMBARRASSING TO FIND OUT AFTER WE WERE AIRBORNE THAT WE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE PDC. ROUTING -- ATC CLRNC -- OZARK2 HLV MKC. FLT PLAN ROUTING -- STL..MKC.J24.HGO.J168.IOC..DEN/0200.

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.