SID chart format leads to flight crew confusion.

Attributes
ACN	302725
Time
Date	199504
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tracon : cof
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	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 : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	302725
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared via the laxx 2 departure with a daggett transition. This is the only SID chart I have ever seen that did not have the transition described in the same body of text as the takeoff instructions. Furthermore it is not described anywhere on the chart and only is used before XA00 local. As a result, we interpreted our clearance as a heading for vectors to daggett VOR. When departure cleared us to seal beach, we argued that it was not on our flight plan. We finally realized our error after very closely reading the chart. This chart should be changed to more accurately reflect the format used on other SID charts. Important information is obscurely hidden in the chart. This is potentially unsafe and disruptive to ATC and flcs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SID CHART FORMAT LEADS TO FLC CONFUSION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED VIA THE LAXX 2 DEP WITH A DAGGETT TRANSITION. THIS IS THE ONLY SID CHART I HAVE EVER SEEN THAT DID NOT HAVE THE TRANSITION DESCRIBED IN THE SAME BODY OF TEXT AS THE TKOF INSTRUCTIONS. FURTHERMORE IT IS NOT DESCRIBED ANYWHERE ON THE CHART AND ONLY IS USED BEFORE XA00 LCL. AS A RESULT, WE INTERPRETED OUR CLRNC AS A HDG FOR VECTORS TO DAGGETT VOR. WHEN DEP CLRED US TO SEAL BEACH, WE ARGUED THAT IT WAS NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN. WE FINALLY REALIZED OUR ERROR AFTER VERY CLOSELY READING THE CHART. THIS CHART SHOULD BE CHANGED TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE FORMAT USED ON OTHER SID CHARTS. IMPORTANT INFO IS OBSCURELY HIDDEN IN THE CHART. THIS IS POTENTIALLY UNSAFE AND DISRUPTIVE TO ATC AND FLCS.

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.