Narrative:

We were given clearance to depart runway 35 at slc and fly the SLC5 departure, to intercept the slc 094 degree radial, to join the mtu 303 degree radial, mtu direct jnc, direct ALS then as filed to iah. The departure is a vector with a requirement to maintain a 340 degree heading and climb to 8000 ft to cross 7.5 mi north of slc VOR at that altitude. As soon as we were airborne and contacted departure, we were given a clearance to FL230 and were still south of the slc VOR and the 094 degree radial. I then assumed that the restr at 8000 ft at 7.5 mi north of the VOR had been deleted by this clearance and that I should continue climbing to FL230 and should turn right and join the 094 degree radial of slc, which I did.shortly after rolling out of the right turn, departure called and told us we were supposed to maintain runway heading and 8000 ft and questioned if we were willing to provide our own terrain separation. We said we were able and willing to provide our own terrain and told the controller that we had been cleared to FL230 and thought we were supposed to join the slc 094 degree radial. He repeated that we were supposed to maintain runway heading and 8000 ft but told us to continue on the 094 degree radial since we had agreed to provide our own terrain sepration. I realized my error in not continuing the SID as published and not climbing to FL230 until after passing the 7.5 mi fix north of slc VOR, but it was very confusing at the time. The confusion was only made worse by the way the events happened, but the error was all mine and I have no excuse. The fact that the departure heading crossed the 094 degree radial of slc, allowed me to convince myself that I should join it. In addition, we were easily outclbing the high terrain to the east and would have been well clear of it on the 094 degree radial on our way up to FL230. The whole situation would have never happened, if I had just asked for verification prior to making the turn and continuing the climb. Stupid!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT DEVIATED FROM SID.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DEPART RWY 35 AT SLC AND FLY THE SLC5 DEP, TO INTERCEPT THE SLC 094 DEG RADIAL, TO JOIN THE MTU 303 DEG RADIAL, MTU DIRECT JNC, DIRECT ALS THEN AS FILED TO IAH. THE DEP IS A VECTOR WITH A REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN A 340 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 8000 FT TO CROSS 7.5 MI N OF SLC VOR AT THAT ALT. AS SOON AS WE WERE AIRBORNE AND CONTACTED DEP, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO FL230 AND WERE STILL S OF THE SLC VOR AND THE 094 DEG RADIAL. I THEN ASSUMED THAT THE RESTR AT 8000 FT AT 7.5 MI N OF THE VOR HAD BEEN DELETED BY THIS CLRNC AND THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE CLBING TO FL230 AND SHOULD TURN R AND JOIN THE 094 DEG RADIAL OF SLC, WHICH I DID.SHORTLY AFTER ROLLING OUT OF THE R TURN, DEP CALLED AND TOLD US WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND 8000 FT AND QUESTIONED IF WE WERE WILLING TO PROVIDE OUR OWN TERRAIN SEPARATION. WE SAID WE WERE ABLE AND WILLING TO PROVIDE OUR OWN TERRAIN AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL230 AND THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO JOIN THE SLC 094 DEG RADIAL. HE REPEATED THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND 8000 FT BUT TOLD US TO CONTINUE ON THE 094 DEG RADIAL SINCE WE HAD AGREED TO PROVIDE OUR OWN TERRAIN SEPRATION. I REALIZED MY ERROR IN NOT CONTINUING THE SID AS PUBLISHED AND NOT CLBING TO FL230 UNTIL AFTER PASSING THE 7.5 MI FIX N OF SLC VOR, BUT IT WAS VERY CONFUSING AT THE TIME. THE CONFUSION WAS ONLY MADE WORSE BY THE WAY THE EVENTS HAPPENED, BUT THE ERROR WAS ALL MINE AND I HAVE NO EXCUSE. THE FACT THAT THE DEP HDG CROSSED THE 094 DEG RADIAL OF SLC, ALLOWED ME TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT I SHOULD JOIN IT. IN ADDITION, WE WERE EASILY OUTCLBING THE HIGH TERRAIN TO THE E AND WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL CLR OF IT ON THE 094 DEG RADIAL ON OUR WAY UP TO FL230. THE WHOLE SIT WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, IF I HAD JUST ASKED FOR VERIFICATION PRIOR TO MAKING THE TURN AND CONTINUING THE CLB. STUPID!

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.