Narrative:

This was my first trip into ase. WX was excellent, with no ceiling and unrestr visibility. We were cleared LINDZ3 departure, snow transition. I accepted the clearance, knowing that 2 engine performance was no factor, and if we lost an engine, we'd navigation VFR up the valley. After an uneventful takeoff, we flew the departure procedure: heading 340 degrees, at 8700 ft, left turn to 270 degrees to intercept ipkn localizer/back course outbound. I had set up both pilot's navaids with the 'reverse' of the published course. When we turned to 270 degrees, it appeared that we'd already flown through the course. This confused both pilots, and the distraction could have been disastrous, if we lost an engine or were in IMC. Luckily, WX was ideal and we could look outside to avoid the 'cumulo granite.' my inexperience at ase was a factor, but the captain (who has been into ase several times) was confused also. We were using commercial approach plates, and my recommendation is they publish the 'front course' on the NAVAID frequency box to avoid further confusion. When they publish a localizer/back course approach plate, they commonly publish the front course. Maybe commercial chart should do that on all procedures (arrival, departure, and missed approach) that use the ipkn localizer/back course at ase. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that neither he nor captain knew how to set flight instruments. They dialed in 120 degrees for the lda course, but were uncertain if that would give them proper sensing. They flew the departure and never indicated on course following the departure. The confusion relates to two notes on the departure plate. In the upper left hand corner it states, 'ipkn lda outbound is proper sensing.' on the lda it shows 'lda back course.' reporter feels that a note placed by the lda saying, 'set 300 degrees for proper outbound sensing,' would clarify the necessary information to have the flight instruments set properly. Reporter stated that they were VFR at all times and that ZDV gave them vectors shortly after turning west, but they could never tell exactly where they were as they never crossed the lda path according to their flight instruments. They just don't want to fly such a departure again in IMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL601 DEPARTING FROM ASPEN, CO, IS CONFUSED OVER PROPER SETTING OF FLT INSTS DUE TO CONFUSION ON THE WAY TO LINDZ THREE DEP READS.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP INTO ASE. WX WAS EXCELLENT, WITH NO CEILING AND UNRESTR VISIBILITY. WE WERE CLRED LINDZ3 DEP, SNOW TRANSITION. I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC, KNOWING THAT 2 ENG PERFORMANCE WAS NO FACTOR, AND IF WE LOST AN ENG, WE'D NAV VFR UP THE VALLEY. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF, WE FLEW THE DEP PROC: HDG 340 DEGS, AT 8700 FT, L TURN TO 270 DEGS TO INTERCEPT IPKN LOC/BACK COURSE OUTBOUND. I HAD SET UP BOTH PLT'S NAVAIDS WITH THE 'REVERSE' OF THE PUBLISHED COURSE. WHEN WE TURNED TO 270 DEGS, IT APPEARED THAT WE'D ALREADY FLOWN THROUGH THE COURSE. THIS CONFUSED BOTH PLTS, AND THE DISTR COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS, IF WE LOST AN ENG OR WERE IN IMC. LUCKILY, WX WAS IDEAL AND WE COULD LOOK OUTSIDE TO AVOID THE 'CUMULO GRANITE.' MY INEXPERIENCE AT ASE WAS A FACTOR, BUT THE CAPT (WHO HAS BEEN INTO ASE SEVERAL TIMES) WAS CONFUSED ALSO. WE WERE USING COMMERCIAL APCH PLATES, AND MY RECOMMENDATION IS THEY PUBLISH THE 'FRONT COURSE' ON THE NAVAID FREQ BOX TO AVOID FURTHER CONFUSION. WHEN THEY PUBLISH A LOC/BACK COURSE APCH PLATE, THEY COMMONLY PUBLISH THE FRONT COURSE. MAYBE COMMERCIAL CHART SHOULD DO THAT ON ALL PROCS (ARR, DEP, AND MISSED APCH) THAT USE THE IPKN LOC/BACK COURSE AT ASE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT NEITHER HE NOR CAPT KNEW HOW TO SET FLT INSTS. THEY DIALED IN 120 DEGS FOR THE LDA COURSE, BUT WERE UNCERTAIN IF THAT WOULD GIVE THEM PROPER SENSING. THEY FLEW THE DEP AND NEVER INDICATED ON COURSE FOLLOWING THE DEP. THE CONFUSION RELATES TO TWO NOTES ON THE DEP PLATE. IN THE UPPER L HAND CORNER IT STATES, 'IPKN LDA OUTBOUND IS PROPER SENSING.' ON THE LDA IT SHOWS 'LDA BACK COURSE.' RPTR FEELS THAT A NOTE PLACED BY THE LDA SAYING, 'SET 300 DEGS FOR PROPER OUTBOUND SENSING,' WOULD CLARIFY THE NECESSARY INFO TO HAVE THE FLT INSTS SET PROPERLY. RPTR STATED THAT THEY WERE VFR AT ALL TIMES AND THAT ZDV GAVE THEM VECTORS SHORTLY AFTER TURNING W, BUT THEY COULD NEVER TELL EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE AS THEY NEVER CROSSED THE LDA PATH ACCORDING TO THEIR FLT INSTS. THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO FLY SUCH A DEP AGAIN IN IMC.

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.