Narrative:

Cleared for lga 7 departure runway 13, whitestone climb. We discussed the whitestone climb several times before departure. The SID was not flown as depicted due to a misunderstanding of the written description. ATC pointed out 'that we blew it' and provided headings for on-course. We (captain and first officer) again discussed the SID and arrived at the same misinterp of the SID, which is poorly written and led to confusion on the departure. The commercial chart sep/xx/96 (10-3) chart for the lga 7 departure, runway 13 (whitestone climb) description is: 'turn right, climb on a 175 degree heading until lga 2.5 DME, do not exceed 210 KTS until crossing the lga R130, if unable advise ATC then turn left to a 040 degree heading, maintain 5000 ft, thence.' we both agreed (captain and first officer) that the procedure should read: turn right, climb on a 175 degree heading until lga 2.5 DME, then turn left to a 040 degree heading. Do not exceed 210 KTS until crossing the lga R130, maintain 5000 ft, thence. The confusion we felt was that we could turn left to a 040 degree heading after crossing the lga R130, even though our instruments showed us south of the radial at takeoff and at the lga 2.5 DME fix. This was also my first time departing lga on the whitestone climb, and I was unfamiliar with the procedure.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SID WORDING CONFUSING. RPTR FLC HAD STUDIED AND BRIEFED THOROUGHLY FOR THE WHITESTONE CLB AND AS THE CTLR POINTED OUT, 'THEY BLEW IT,' AND THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST NOR THE LAST.

Narrative: CLRED FOR LGA 7 DEP RWY 13, WHITESTONE CLB. WE DISCUSSED THE WHITESTONE CLB SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE DEP. THE SID WAS NOT FLOWN AS DEPICTED DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION. ATC POINTED OUT 'THAT WE BLEW IT' AND PROVIDED HDGS FOR ON-COURSE. WE (CAPT AND FO) AGAIN DISCUSSED THE SID AND ARRIVED AT THE SAME MISINTERP OF THE SID, WHICH IS POORLY WRITTEN AND LED TO CONFUSION ON THE DEP. THE COMMERCIAL CHART SEP/XX/96 (10-3) CHART FOR THE LGA 7 DEP, RWY 13 (WHITESTONE CLB) DESCRIPTION IS: 'TURN R, CLB ON A 175 DEG HDG UNTIL LGA 2.5 DME, DO NOT EXCEED 210 KTS UNTIL XING THE LGA R130, IF UNABLE ADVISE ATC THEN TURN L TO A 040 DEG HDG, MAINTAIN 5000 FT, THENCE.' WE BOTH AGREED (CAPT AND FO) THAT THE PROC SHOULD READ: TURN R, CLB ON A 175 DEG HDG UNTIL LGA 2.5 DME, THEN TURN L TO A 040 DEG HDG. DO NOT EXCEED 210 KTS UNTIL XING THE LGA R130, MAINTAIN 5000 FT, THENCE. THE CONFUSION WE FELT WAS THAT WE COULD TURN L TO A 040 DEG HDG AFTER XING THE LGA R130, EVEN THOUGH OUR INSTS SHOWED US S OF THE RADIAL AT TKOF AND AT THE LGA 2.5 DME FIX. THIS WAS ALSO MY FIRST TIME DEPARTING LGA ON THE WHITESTONE CLB, AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PROC.

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.