B737 flight crew erroneously turned to assigned but disputed heading on departure from atl.

Attributes
ACN	422260
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	422260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After air carrier xyz was cleared for takeoff from atl runway 26L, a heading was assigned what was thought to be 265 degrees. After being handed off to departure control, ATC asked 'what heading did the tower give you?' I replied, '265 degrees.' then the controller informed me that the north runway always requires a heading of at least 270 degrees and you should question any other clearance. We were then turned northwest to comply with his departure requirements. The problem arose due to high workload associated with takeoff. Complete checklist, align aircraft on runway, adjust and read radar, receive takeoff clearance, and set bugs. Contributing factors: WX, high volume of traffic and pilot fatigue associated with late nights and final night of 4 days of flying the back side of the clock. Solution: if the departure is always right turn to a heading of 270 degrees or more and not runway heading, then the departure SID should reflect this. Pilots operate from too many airports to remember should be's and must rely on the written procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC ERRONEOUSLY TURNED TO ASSIGNED BUT DISPUTED HDG ON DEP FROM ATL.

Narrative: AFTER ACR XYZ WAS CLRED FOR TKOF FROM ATL RWY 26L, A HDG WAS ASSIGNED WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE 265 DEGS. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL, ATC ASKED 'WHAT HDG DID THE TWR GIVE YOU?' I REPLIED, '265 DEGS.' THEN THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT THE N RWY ALWAYS REQUIRES A HDG OF AT LEAST 270 DEGS AND YOU SHOULD QUESTION ANY OTHER CLRNC. WE WERE THEN TURNED NW TO COMPLY WITH HIS DEP REQUIREMENTS. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO HIGH WORKLOAD ASSOCIATED WITH TKOF. COMPLETE CHKLIST, ALIGN ACFT ON RWY, ADJUST AND READ RADAR, RECEIVE TKOF CLRNC, AND SET BUGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WX, HIGH VOLUME OF TFC AND PLT FATIGUE ASSOCIATED WITH LATE NIGHTS AND FINAL NIGHT OF 4 DAYS OF FLYING THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK. SOLUTION: IF THE DEP IS ALWAYS R TURN TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS OR MORE AND NOT RWY HDG, THEN THE DEP SID SHOULD REFLECT THIS. PLTS OPERATE FROM TOO MANY ARPTS TO REMEMBER SHOULD BE'S AND MUST RELY ON THE WRITTEN PROCS.

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.