Controller failed to issue departure heading and altitude.

Attributes
ACN	326155
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	326155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

The gorman 1 departure SID from lax specifies 250 degree heading and maintain 2000 ft MSL for radar vectors. Many times the tower instructs departing aircraft to fly heading 270 degrees and maintain 3000 ft as they clear you for takeoff. The tower controller was extremely busy and cleared the aircraft in front of us for 270 degrees plus 3000 ft. We were then cleared into position and hold. We were told to 'report the departing aircraft in sight and maintain visual separation with him' and then cleared for takeoff. We acknowledged and took off. We took off and flew the SID 258 degrees and 2000 ft. We asked the controller if he wanted us over the departure because he forgot to switch us due to being busy. He said 'oh yes contact departure.' a B737 was cleared for takeoff right behind us and not given a turn. He was told to maintain visual with us. The departure controller said the tower controller told him that he told us to turn to 270 degrees after takeoff and did we not hear him. We said he did not give us any special instructions. The departure controller said 'I believe you, this is the third time this has happened.' I believe that may be what the tower controller was thinking but due to his workload he did not verbalize it. This seemed to be confirmed by the departure controller's statement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FAILED TO ISSUE DEP HEADING AND ALT.

Narrative: THE GORMAN 1 DEP SID FROM LAX SPECIFIES 250 DEG HDG AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT MSL FOR RADAR VECTORS. MANY TIMES THE TWR INSTRUCTS DEPARTING ACFT TO FLY HEADING 270 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT AS THEY CLR YOU FOR TKOF. THE TWR CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND CLRED THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US FOR 270 DEGS PLUS 3000 FT. WE WERE THEN CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD. WE WERE TOLD TO 'RPT THE DEPARTING ACFT IN SIGHT AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH HIM' AND THEN CLRED FOR TKOF. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND TOOK OFF. WE TOOK OFF AND FLEW THE SID 258 DEGS AND 2000 FT. WE ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED US OVER THE DEP BECAUSE HE FORGOT TO SWITCH US DUE TO BEING BUSY. HE SAID 'OH YES CONTACT DEP.' A B737 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF RIGHT BEHIND US AND NOT GIVEN A TURN. HE WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH US. THE DEP CTLR SAID THE TWR CTLR TOLD HIM THAT HE TOLD US TO TURN TO 270 DEGS AFTER TKOF AND DID WE NOT HEAR HIM. WE SAID HE DID NOT GIVE US ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. THE DEP CTLR SAID 'I BELIEVE YOU, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.' I BELIEVE THAT MAY BE WHAT THE TWR CTLR WAS THINKING BUT DUE TO HIS WORKLOAD HE DID NOT VERBALIZE IT. THIS SEEMED TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE DEP CTLR'S STATEMENT.

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.