Narrative:

Early turn (approximately 16 NM before elmaa intersection). Departure control commented that we turned early and were the second aircraft this week to turn early. The controller also stated that it was not a problem but was curious if it was our autoplt leading the turn. Contributing factors are distance to xchk VOR, it was centering, interference or just distance and low altitude. The VOR reference radial ctring coincided with the 32 DME/sea. The actual DME distance from sea is 48 NM, but this does not show on the SID. The 32 mi distance has no relevance on a VOR, DME, radar, SID, and it can be misleading in a quick look for a xchk. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: during departure on the elmaa 4 departure, dark cockpit, both pilots had the yyj 157 degree radial selected to identify elmaa and the turn point. Both VOR on course bars centered and when they looked at the departure page they saw 32 on the sea 227 degree radial which was verified with their DME's, so they started the turn to 330 degree radial to ubg. Departure control caught the error and notified the flight crew, also telling them that it was the third time in a week that he had seen this same problem. Reporter says that the departure is not in the FMS and that the latitude/long depicted on the pae 185 degree radial is meaningless to flcs. Then, the 32 mi between that pae 185 on the sea 227 degree is misleading. First, it is not a DME and there is nothing to reference the 32 and second, it misleads pilots to think it is a DME because it is the only mileage shown on the sea 227 degree radial. Being restr to 5000 ft contributed to the false on course signal. Elmaa, at 95 DME from yyj is marginal to receive until at higher altitudes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV. TURNED TOO SOON ON SID. MISLEADING SID.

Narrative: EARLY TURN (APPROX 16 NM BEFORE ELMAA INTXN). DEP CTL COMMENTED THAT WE TURNED EARLY AND WERE THE SECOND ACFT THIS WK TO TURN EARLY. THE CTLR ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROB BUT WAS CURIOUS IF IT WAS OUR AUTOPLT LEADING THE TURN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE DISTANCE TO XCHK VOR, IT WAS CENTERING, INTERFERENCE OR JUST DISTANCE AND LOW ALT. THE VOR REF RADIAL CTRING COINCIDED WITH THE 32 DME/SEA. THE ACTUAL DME DISTANCE FROM SEA IS 48 NM, BUT THIS DOES NOT SHOW ON THE SID. THE 32 MI DISTANCE HAS NO RELEVANCE ON A VOR, DME, RADAR, SID, AND IT CAN BE MISLEADING IN A QUICK LOOK FOR A XCHK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: DURING DEP ON THE ELMAA 4 DEP, DARK COCKPIT, BOTH PLTS HAD THE YYJ 157 DEG RADIAL SELECTED TO IDENT ELMAA AND THE TURN POINT. BOTH VOR ON COURSE BARS CENTERED AND WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE DEP PAGE THEY SAW 32 ON THE SEA 227 DEG RADIAL WHICH WAS VERIFIED WITH THEIR DME'S, SO THEY STARTED THE TURN TO 330 DEG RADIAL TO UBG. DEP CTL CAUGHT THE ERROR AND NOTIFIED THE FLC, ALSO TELLING THEM THAT IT WAS THE THIRD TIME IN A WK THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS SAME PROB. RPTR SAYS THAT THE DEP IS NOT IN THE FMS AND THAT THE LAT/LONG DEPICTED ON THE PAE 185 DEG RADIAL IS MEANINGLESS TO FLCS. THEN, THE 32 MI BTWN THAT PAE 185 ON THE SEA 227 DEG IS MISLEADING. FIRST, IT IS NOT A DME AND THERE IS NOTHING TO REF THE 32 AND SECOND, IT MISLEADS PLTS TO THINK IT IS A DME BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY MILEAGE SHOWN ON THE SEA 227 DEG RADIAL. BEING RESTR TO 5000 FT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FALSE ON COURSE SIGNAL. ELMAA, AT 95 DME FROM YYJ IS MARGINAL TO RECEIVE UNTIL AT HIGHER ALTS.

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.