Narrative:

We taxied out and received our clearance from ground during our taxi to runway 14. Neither the first officer or myself heard a specific direction which to turn in our clearance. We were cleared to pdx via the kingsley 3 departure and to fly a heading of 320 degrees for radar vectors on course. The SID mentions climbing to 4700 ft prior to initiating any assigned turns. As the PF from the left seat, I elected to make our turn to the left as I could watch for traffic easier. Before initiating the turn, I asked my first officer if a direction was specified in case I didn't hear one and she said definitely 'no.' we made our 180 degree turn and continued climbing and through about 7500 ft the tower instructed us to contact ZSE. He made no other comments in his transmission. We contacted center and received radar contact and a higher altitude and further route clearance. Climbing through approximately 11000 ft MSL, the center controller asked if we made a left or right turn off runway 14. We responded a left turn was made. He informed us that in order to accomplish a left turn off runway 14, we are supposed to be above 7000 ft MSL not 4700 ft as prescribed by the assigned kingsley 3 departure. I did not question or respond to his statement other than 'roger.' I began looking at all my charts, SID's and maps and nowhere do I see a 7000 ft restr. The only thing I can think of, for terrain to the left of the runway, but due to the VFR conditions, light aircraft weight and no mention by tower or a heading direction, I felt I did not error in anyway. I discussed this situation with 2 co-chief pilots and several fellow line pilots and everyone I talked agreed that they felt I did nothing wrong and could not find anything about a 7000 ft restr. I am not sure how to prevent a recurrence of this other than ask a direction every time in the case of a complete 180 degree turn. If there are restrs such as this I feel it should be published on our SID's or on the airport diagram. It's hard to know what you're not told.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON SPECIFIC TURN DIRECTION FOR SID.

Narrative: WE TAXIED OUT AND RECEIVED OUR CLRNC FROM GND DURING OUR TAXI TO RWY 14. NEITHER THE FO OR MYSELF HEARD A SPECIFIC DIRECTION WHICH TO TURN IN OUR CLRNC. WE WERE CLRED TO PDX VIA THE KINGSLEY 3 DEP AND TO FLY A HDG OF 320 DEGS FOR RADAR VECTORS ON COURSE. THE SID MENTIONS CLBING TO 4700 FT PRIOR TO INITIATING ANY ASSIGNED TURNS. AS THE PF FROM THE L SEAT, I ELECTED TO MAKE OUR TURN TO THE L AS I COULD WATCH FOR TFC EASIER. BEFORE INITIATING THE TURN, I ASKED MY FO IF A DIRECTION WAS SPECIFIED IN CASE I DIDN'T HEAR ONE AND SHE SAID DEFINITELY 'NO.' WE MADE OUR 180 DEG TURN AND CONTINUED CLBING AND THROUGH ABOUT 7500 FT THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT ZSE. HE MADE NO OTHER COMMENTS IN HIS XMISSION. WE CONTACTED CTR AND RECEIVED RADAR CONTACT AND A HIGHER ALT AND FURTHER RTE CLRNC. CLBING THROUGH APPROX 11000 FT MSL, THE CTR CTLR ASKED IF WE MADE A L OR R TURN OFF RWY 14. WE RESPONDED A L TURN WAS MADE. HE INFORMED US THAT IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH A L TURN OFF RWY 14, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABOVE 7000 FT MSL NOT 4700 FT AS PRESCRIBED BY THE ASSIGNED KINGSLEY 3 DEP. I DID NOT QUESTION OR RESPOND TO HIS STATEMENT OTHER THAN 'ROGER.' I BEGAN LOOKING AT ALL MY CHARTS, SID'S AND MAPS AND NOWHERE DO I SEE A 7000 FT RESTR. THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF, FOR TERRAIN TO THE L OF THE RWY, BUT DUE TO THE VFR CONDITIONS, LIGHT ACFT WT AND NO MENTION BY TWR OR A HDG DIRECTION, I FELT I DID NOT ERROR IN ANYWAY. I DISCUSSED THIS SIT WITH 2 CO-CHIEF PLTS AND SEVERAL FELLOW LINE PLTS AND EVERYONE I TALKED AGREED THAT THEY FELT I DID NOTHING WRONG AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABOUT A 7000 FT RESTR. I AM NOT SURE HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS OTHER THAN ASK A DIRECTION EVERY TIME IN THE CASE OF A COMPLETE 180 DEG TURN. IF THERE ARE RESTRS SUCH AS THIS I FEEL IT SHOULD BE PUBLISHED ON OUR SID'S OR ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM. IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE NOT TOLD.

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.