Part 121 air carrier given takeoff clearance without vectors to avoid high terrain.

Attributes
ACN	439145
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : slc5.slc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	439145
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Please reference slc 5 departure (SLC5.slc) our clearance was the following: cleared to dayton slc 5 J154 ocs cys 308 degree radial 16 DME as filed 10000 ft speed 250 KIAS 135.5 squawk XXXX. Upon receiving clearance and being unfamiliar with the airport we (the crew) discussed the procedure and terrain and agreed on our plan of intercepting J154 and would cross 7.5 DME at or above 8000 ft. Takeoff clearance was received from tower with no other instruction. Upon crossing the slc VOR we commenced a right turn to intercept J154 outbound of slc VOR (radial 055 degrees). Shortly after commencing the turn, departure control asked our heading and wanted to know if we had the terrain in sight. (We responded in the affirmative.) he further stated that tower should have given us an assigned heading of 340 degrees. We responded that this was not the case. He stated that as long as we had the terrain in sight we could proceed. We did, with no further incident. I believe the problem arose by not completely understanding the SID as published and receiving a clearance that initially had an airway (J154) that was not as filed by our company. Contributing factors being unfamiliar with the airport and a takeoff clearance that did not contain a vector or assigned heading in it. This was discovered by slc departure control and their inquiry as to our heading and terrain sighting. We had the terrain in sight and easily crossed with no corrective action. Departure cleared us as filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PART 121 ACR GIVEN TKOF CLRNC WITHOUT VECTORS TO AVOID HIGH TERRAIN.

Narrative: PLEASE REF SLC 5 DEP (SLC5.SLC) OUR CLRNC WAS THE FOLLOWING: CLRED TO DAYTON SLC 5 J154 OCS CYS 308 DEG RADIAL 16 DME AS FILED 10000 FT SPD 250 KIAS 135.5 SQUAWK XXXX. UPON RECEIVING CLRNC AND BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT WE (THE CREW) DISCUSSED THE PROC AND TERRAIN AND AGREED ON OUR PLAN OF INTERCEPTING J154 AND WOULD CROSS 7.5 DME AT OR ABOVE 8000 FT. TKOF CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FROM TWR WITH NO OTHER INSTRUCTION. UPON XING THE SLC VOR WE COMMENCED A R TURN TO INTERCEPT J154 OUTBOUND OF SLC VOR (RADIAL 055 DEGS). SHORTLY AFTER COMMENCING THE TURN, DEP CTL ASKED OUR HDG AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT. (WE RESPONDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.) HE FURTHER STATED THAT TWR SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 340 DEGS. WE RESPONDED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. HE STATED THAT AS LONG AS WE HAD THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT WE COULD PROCEED. WE DID, WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE PROB AROSE BY NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDING THE SID AS PUBLISHED AND RECEIVING A CLRNC THAT INITIALLY HAD AN AIRWAY (J154) THAT WAS NOT AS FILED BY OUR COMPANY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND A TKOF CLRNC THAT DID NOT CONTAIN A VECTOR OR ASSIGNED HDG IN IT. THIS WAS DISCOVERED BY SLC DEP CTL AND THEIR INQUIRY AS TO OUR HDG AND TERRAIN SIGHTING. WE HAD THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT AND EASILY CROSSED WITH NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. DEP CLRED US AS FILED.

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.