Narrative:

Received IFR clearance from HHH to rdu. We were advised to hold for release and call back when we were #1 for departure. Taxi was normal, but there seemed to be considerable traffic in area of the airport (as observed on CTAF). When #1 for departure, first officer called sav clearance delivery for release on communication #2 radio. I was monitoring both communication radios and heard sav say we are released at the same time that area traffic was transmitting position on #1 communication radio. I turned off #2 communication speaker on my headphones so that I could have complete awareness of traffic in area and how our departure would fit in. Departed. First officer is flying. I transmit intentions of a left turnout to depart the area to the north, and visually clear left side for the turn and tell the first officer 'clear left.' first officer states 'weren't we assigned runway heading?' I am not aware of any such clearance as it was assigned during the release clearance when I was monitoring the other communication radio. I contacted beaufort departure and he says we are cleared on course. First officer began a gradual r-hand turn towards the north. Beaufort departure controller asks, 'verify you are in a left turn on course!' I stated we were in a right turn, but could go back to the left if needed. Beaufort advised that a right turn was fine. First officer did not remember what clearance he was given when he received the release clearance. We deduced that it may have been a clearance to turn left to enter controled airspace on a specific heading. This was a severe communications breakdown between the crew. First officer did not write down clearance upon release and I didn't ask prior to departing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE1900 CREW FAILED TO MONITOR CLRNC DELIVERY PROPERLY, THEN FAILED TO FOLLOW THEIR DEP INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: RECEIVED IFR CLRNC FROM HHH TO RDU. WE WERE ADVISED TO HOLD FOR RELEASE AND CALL BACK WHEN WE WERE #1 FOR DEP. TAXI WAS NORMAL, BUT THERE SEEMED TO BE CONSIDERABLE TFC IN AREA OF THE ARPT (AS OBSERVED ON CTAF). WHEN #1 FOR DEP, FO CALLED SAV CLRNC DELIVERY FOR RELEASE ON COM #2 RADIO. I WAS MONITORING BOTH COM RADIOS AND HEARD SAV SAY WE ARE RELEASED AT THE SAME TIME THAT AREA TFC WAS XMITTING POS ON #1 COM RADIO. I TURNED OFF #2 COM SPEAKER ON MY HEADPHONES SO THAT I COULD HAVE COMPLETE AWARENESS OF TFC IN AREA AND HOW OUR DEP WOULD FIT IN. DEPARTED. FO IS FLYING. I XMIT INTENTIONS OF A L TURNOUT TO DEPART THE AREA TO THE N, AND VISUALLY CLR L SIDE FOR THE TURN AND TELL THE FO 'CLR L.' FO STATES 'WEREN'T WE ASSIGNED RWY HDG?' I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH CLRNC AS IT WAS ASSIGNED DURING THE RELEASE CLRNC WHEN I WAS MONITORING THE OTHER COM RADIO. I CONTACTED BEAUFORT DEP AND HE SAYS WE ARE CLRED ON COURSE. FO BEGAN A GRADUAL R-HAND TURN TOWARDS THE N. BEAUFORT DEP CTLR ASKS, 'VERIFY YOU ARE IN A L TURN ON COURSE!' I STATED WE WERE IN A R TURN, BUT COULD GO BACK TO THE L IF NEEDED. BEAUFORT ADVISED THAT A R TURN WAS FINE. FO DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT CLRNC HE WAS GIVEN WHEN HE RECEIVED THE RELEASE CLRNC. WE DEDUCED THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CLRNC TO TURN L TO ENTER CTLED AIRSPACE ON A SPECIFIC HDG. THIS WAS A SEVERE COMS BREAKDOWN BTWN THE CREW. FO DID NOT WRITE DOWN CLRNC UPON RELEASE AND I DIDN'T ASK PRIOR TO DEPARTING.

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.