Narrative:

On the published departure from the eagle vail airport (ege), co, I failed to follow the prescribed routing taking off on runway 25. The procedure is to turn immediately to a heading of 215 degrees and climb to 13500 ft. Passing 9000 ft, intercept the 322 degree radial of the red table VOR and hence...! I intercepted the 322 degree radial but was flying inbound instead of outbound, when the controller told me I was in the wrong area. I had spent several mins prior to takeoff studying the procedure, but obviously failed to understand it thoroughly. There is no question that I erred. I have to believe, however, that I am not the only pilot who has committed, or will commit this same error because of its complexity. A simple, but much safer way to present this departure is to have it on a graphic, horizontal depiction with a broad black arrow overlaying the route. This is common for many other departures and in much less hazardous terrain. Also, in the written departure instructions, insert the words, 'intercept and track outbound on the 322 degree radial....' I know these 2 changes would have certainly kept me from making this mistake! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter has a lot of experience flying and controling. Still, he flew the wrong direction for the departure. Reporter had taken off to the east several times, but this was his first west departure. He was not expecting a west departure. When given the west departure he spent 3 mins reading and reviewing the departure. Still, he flew it incorrectly. Reporter admits his error, but feels he would have flown it correctly had it been presented as many other departures are presented. That is, with a geographic layout with altitudes written along the departure path. He feels the depiction from a verbal description leaves out clarity and can obfuscate what is intended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B200 KING AIR TAKES OFF FROM EGE, CO, AND FLIES THE DEP IN REVERSE. DEP INSTRUCTIONS ARE CONFUSING TO RPTR.

Narrative: ON THE PUBLISHED DEP FROM THE EAGLE VAIL ARPT (EGE), CO, I FAILED TO FOLLOW THE PRESCRIBED ROUTING TAKING OFF ON RWY 25. THE PROC IS TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A HDG OF 215 DEGS AND CLB TO 13500 FT. PASSING 9000 FT, INTERCEPT THE 322 DEG RADIAL OF THE RED TABLE VOR AND HENCE...! I INTERCEPTED THE 322 DEG RADIAL BUT WAS FLYING INBOUND INSTEAD OF OUTBOUND, WHEN THE CTLR TOLD ME I WAS IN THE WRONG AREA. I HAD SPENT SEVERAL MINS PRIOR TO TKOF STUDYING THE PROC, BUT OBVIOUSLY FAILED TO UNDERSTAND IT THOROUGHLY. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT I ERRED. I HAVE TO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PLT WHO HAS COMMITTED, OR WILL COMMIT THIS SAME ERROR BECAUSE OF ITS COMPLEXITY. A SIMPLE, BUT MUCH SAFER WAY TO PRESENT THIS DEP IS TO HAVE IT ON A GRAPHIC, HORIZ DEPICTION WITH A BROAD BLACK ARROW OVERLAYING THE RTE. THIS IS COMMON FOR MANY OTHER DEPS AND IN MUCH LESS HAZARDOUS TERRAIN. ALSO, IN THE WRITTEN DEP INSTRUCTIONS, INSERT THE WORDS, 'INTERCEPT AND TRACK OUTBOUND ON THE 322 DEG RADIAL....' I KNOW THESE 2 CHANGES WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY KEPT ME FROM MAKING THIS MISTAKE! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE FLYING AND CTLING. STILL, HE FLEW THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR THE DEP. RPTR HAD TAKEN OFF TO THE E SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THIS WAS HIS FIRST W DEP. HE WAS NOT EXPECTING A W DEP. WHEN GIVEN THE W DEP HE SPENT 3 MINS READING AND REVIEWING THE DEP. STILL, HE FLEW IT INCORRECTLY. RPTR ADMITS HIS ERROR, BUT FEELS HE WOULD HAVE FLOWN IT CORRECTLY HAD IT BEEN PRESENTED AS MANY OTHER DEPS ARE PRESENTED. THAT IS, WITH A GEOGRAPHIC LAYOUT WITH ALTS WRITTEN ALONG THE DEP PATH. HE FEELS THE DEPICTION FROM A VERBAL DESCRIPTION LEAVES OUT CLARITY AND CAN OBFUSCATE WHAT IS INTENDED.

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.