Narrative:

We departed dca washington national runway 36, en route to bkl cleveland burke lake front, on a learjet 35A. Prior to engine start we got our clearance, which read, the dca 185 degree radial then radar vectors to jeres intersection, as filed. During taxi, another clearance was issued to the dca 328 degree radial. Shortly thereafter, a position and hold runway 36 was given. Seconds later, a takeoff clearance was given. A normal takeoff was executed and dca tower handed us over to washington departure. Radar contact was given, and a turn to the west was issued. A few seconds later a further turn to the west was given to join the dca 328 degree radial. Moments later, we were asked to copy down a washington departure phone number. Then we were handed off. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The problem was discovered when I called washington departure. He asked if I knew what we did wrong, and I replied 'no sir.' he stated that we did not execute our clearance properly which flew us right through prohibited area 56. He then discussed departure procedures out of dca and said to chalk it up as a learning experience. I believe the problem arose due to a lack of emphasis placed on the departure clearance. It was my assumption we were getting radar vectors to join the outbound radial. In order to fly outbound on that radial at dca would constitute an immediate left turn right after takeoff, which in IMC, is not a safe practice, in my opinion. There were several factors that led up to this situation. Our changed clearance during taxi, the lack of emphasis placed on the departure, IFR conditions during high density airport operations, a rapid takeoff clearance, and the lack of a SID to back up any clearance. It is my opinion that there should be a SID for this airport to prevent any confusion on the departure. With a SID, there is no question as to how the procedure should be flown. Supplemental information from acn 320571: some of the contributing factors were infrequent trips to dca, and misunderstanding a last min change in departure clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LR35 FLC PENETRATED PROHIBITED AIRSPACE. PROX OF PROHIBITED AREA. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED DCA WASHINGTON NATIONAL RWY 36, ENRTE TO BKL CLEVELAND BURKE LAKE FRONT, ON A LEARJET 35A. PRIOR TO ENG START WE GOT OUR CLRNC, WHICH READ, THE DCA 185 DEG RADIAL THEN RADAR VECTORS TO JERES INTXN, AS FILED. DURING TAXI, ANOTHER CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO THE DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A POS AND HOLD RWY 36 WAS GIVEN. SECONDS LATER, A TKOF CLRNC WAS GIVEN. A NORMAL TKOF WAS EXECUTED AND DCA TWR HANDED US OVER TO WASHINGTON DEP. RADAR CONTACT WAS GIVEN, AND A TURN TO THE W WAS ISSUED. A FEW SECONDS LATER A FURTHER TURN TO THE W WAS GIVEN TO JOIN THE DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. MOMENTS LATER, WE WERE ASKED TO COPY DOWN A WASHINGTON DEP PHONE NUMBER. THEN WE WERE HANDED OFF. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED WHEN I CALLED WASHINGTON DEP. HE ASKED IF I KNEW WHAT WE DID WRONG, AND I REPLIED 'NO SIR.' HE STATED THAT WE DID NOT EXECUTE OUR CLRNC PROPERLY WHICH FLEW US RIGHT THROUGH PROHIBITED AREA 56. HE THEN DISCUSSED DEP PROCS OUT OF DCA AND SAID TO CHALK IT UP AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. I BELIEVE THE PROB AROSE DUE TO A LACK OF EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE DEP CLRNC. IT WAS MY ASSUMPTION WE WERE GETTING RADAR VECTORS TO JOIN THE OUTBOUND RADIAL. IN ORDER TO FLY OUTBOUND ON THAT RADIAL AT DCA WOULD CONSTITUTE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN RIGHT AFTER TKOF, WHICH IN IMC, IS NOT A SAFE PRACTICE, IN MY OPINION. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT LED UP TO THIS SITUATION. OUR CHANGED CLRNC DURING TAXI, THE LACK OF EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE DEP, IFR CONDITIONS DURING HIGH DENSITY ARPT OPS, A RAPID TKOF CLRNC, AND THE LACK OF A SID TO BACK UP ANY CLRNC. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SID FOR THIS ARPT TO PREVENT ANY CONFUSION ON THE DEP. WITH A SID, THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO HOW THE PROC SHOULD BE FLOWN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 320571: SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE INFREQUENT TRIPS TO DCA, AND MISUNDERSTANDING A LAST MIN CHANGE IN DEP CLRNC.

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.