Narrative:

I was the PF of a cessna citation on an IFR departure from runway 25 at eagle colorado regional airport. I flew the departure correctly until intercepting the dbl VOR R-322. At this point I intercepted the dbl VOR R-322 inbound thinking the rlg VOR R-231 was to my right side. This was not correct. I should have intercepted the R-322 outbound. Upon realizing my error I turned the aircraft back to the left to track outbound on the radial correctly. During the climb we were unable to contact denver ATC until passing through 10000 ft. When we contacted ZDV the controller saw that the aircraft was off course and he cleared us direct to rlg VOR. I have 2 suggestions for improvement of the departure procedures: 1) add the words inbound and outbound when intercepting radials, and 2) publish the procedure in the form of a SID (such as aspen's lindz 3 departure). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he knows he made the mistake but feels strongly that a pictorial representation of the departure could be much more clear. This would not be such a problem if this were flat terrain, but in this mountainous region it is very disconcerting. Even the insertion of the word 'outbound' after intercept dbl VOR R-322 would help direct the pilot. The en route chart is very congested in this area and it is difficult to get a mental picture of the procedure. ATC did not seem too disturbed by the problem, maybe because this happens often? Reporter's company has about xx pilots and most of them have had trouble with this departure at some time. Reporter feels that since this is a major ski resort and many airlines fly into and out of the airport a pictorial departure procedure would benefit many pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP LTT TURNS WRONG DIRECTION ON INTERCEPTING RADIAL FOR DEP PROC.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF OF A CESSNA CITATION ON AN IFR DEP FROM RWY 25 AT EAGLE COLORADO REGIONAL ARPT. I FLEW THE DEP CORRECTLY UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE DBL VOR R-322. AT THIS POINT I INTERCEPTED THE DBL VOR R-322 INBOUND THINKING THE RLG VOR R-231 WAS TO MY R SIDE. THIS WAS NOT CORRECT. I SHOULD HAVE INTERCEPTED THE R-322 OUTBOUND. UPON REALIZING MY ERROR I TURNED THE ACFT BACK TO THE L TO TRACK OUTBOUND ON THE RADIAL CORRECTLY. DURING THE CLB WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT DENVER ATC UNTIL PASSING THROUGH 10000 FT. WHEN WE CONTACTED ZDV THE CTLR SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS OFF COURSE AND HE CLRED US DIRECT TO RLG VOR. I HAVE 2 SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE DEP PROCS: 1) ADD THE WORDS INBOUND AND OUTBOUND WHEN INTERCEPTING RADIALS, AND 2) PUBLISH THE PROC IN THE FORM OF A SID (SUCH AS ASPEN'S LINDZ 3 DEP). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE KNOWS HE MADE THE MISTAKE BUT FEELS STRONGLY THAT A PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION OF THE DEP COULD BE MUCH MORE CLR. THIS WOULD NOT BE SUCH A PROB IF THIS WERE FLAT TERRAIN, BUT IN THIS MOUNTAINOUS REGION IT IS VERY DISCONCERTING. EVEN THE INSERTION OF THE WORD 'OUTBOUND' AFTER INTERCEPT DBL VOR R-322 WOULD HELP DIRECT THE PLT. THE ENRTE CHART IS VERY CONGESTED IN THIS AREA AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET A MENTAL PICTURE OF THE PROC. ATC DID NOT SEEM TOO DISTURBED BY THE PROB, MAYBE BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS OFTEN? RPTR'S COMPANY HAS ABOUT XX PLTS AND MOST OF THEM HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS DEP AT SOME TIME. RPTR FEELS THAT SINCE THIS IS A MAJOR SKI RESORT AND MANY AIRLINES FLY INTO AND OUT OF THE ARPT A PICTORIAL DEP PROC WOULD BENEFIT MANY PLTS.

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.