Heading track deviation. Non adherence to ATC procedure.

Attributes
ACN	277694
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq tower : abq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 13500
ASRS Report	277694
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Albuquerque tower issued clearance that 'after noise abatement complete turn to heading 310 degrees magnetic, due to high altitude, heavy weight and hot day it took considerably longer than normal to clean up flaps and reduce to climb power. Tower then questioned about when we intended to turn to 310 degrees. We were in the vicinity of high terrain but VFR, so elected to proceed straight out rather than turn nearer the high terrain to the left. Switched to departure control and advised them we were visual and proceeding straight ahead. After well clear of high terrain to the east given vector for alamosa. Albuquerque 1 departure states delaying turn (if making a left turn from runway 8) until 13.5 DME from abq VOR. I believe the confusion arose because the tower advised to turn to heading 310 degrees. After noise abatement complete, which put our position east of the 13.5 DME. Had he merely stated to turn to heading 310 degrees at 13.5 DME, all confusion would have been avoided. I believe the albuquerque 1 departure should be reviewed and the graphic improved similar to las vegas, nevada, where high terrain exists to the west of the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC PROC.

Narrative: ALBUQUERQUE TWR ISSUED CLRNC THAT 'AFTER NOISE ABATEMENT COMPLETE TURN TO HDG 310 DEGS MAGNETIC, DUE TO HIGH ALT, HVY WT AND HOT DAY IT TOOK CONSIDERABLY LONGER THAN NORMAL TO CLEAN UP FLAPS AND REDUCE TO CLB PWR. TWR THEN QUESTIONED ABOUT WHEN WE INTENDED TO TURN TO 310 DEGS. WE WERE IN THE VICINITY OF HIGH TERRAIN BUT VFR, SO ELECTED TO PROCEED STRAIGHT OUT RATHER THAN TURN NEARER THE HIGH TERRAIN TO THE L. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AND ADVISED THEM WE WERE VISUAL AND PROCEEDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. AFTER WELL CLR OF HIGH TERRAIN TO THE E GIVEN VECTOR FOR ALAMOSA. ALBUQUERQUE 1 DEP STATES DELAYING TURN (IF MAKING A L TURN FROM RWY 8) UNTIL 13.5 DME FROM ABQ VOR. I BELIEVE THE CONFUSION AROSE BECAUSE THE TWR ADVISED TO TURN TO HDG 310 DEGS. AFTER NOISE ABATEMENT COMPLETE, WHICH PUT OUR POS E OF THE 13.5 DME. HAD HE MERELY STATED TO TURN TO HDG 310 DEGS AT 13.5 DME, ALL CONFUSION WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I BELIEVE THE ALBUQUERQUE 1 DEP SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND THE GRAPHIC IMPROVED SIMILAR TO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, WHERE HIGH TERRAIN EXISTS TO THE W OF THE ARPT.

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.