Narrative:

I issued clearance through AFSS to aircraft X. Clearance involved specific departure instructions. Relieved for break. Paged during break by supervisor. Aircraft departed and flew heading 180 degrees instead of 'depart south, turn left direct adm...' as cleared. When queried, pilot stated he was on cleared route and that he obtained clearance from the FBO at M18. Supervisor phoned AFSS, FBO and ascertained that clearance was indeed relayed from AFSS to FBO to pilot. When FBO was questioned by supervisor, FBO read what he had written down and it matched what I issued to AFSS. I failed to ascertain that departure instructions would provide terrain/obstruction requirements. Remainder of clearance valid and per 7110.65. It appears to me that pilot did not understand complex clearance. Not usually issued. Also, I am not sure if it was legal/practical/safe to obtain clearance from FBO (untrained participant) rather than qualified ATC facility. I will probably have to review full clearance requirements. Recommend pilot(south) clarify clearance regardless of length and complexity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW ARTCC ISSUES A CLRNC TO PLT VIA AFSS FACILITY. PLT RECEIVES CLRNC FROM FBO AND FLIES AN INCORRECT DEP PROC.

Narrative: I ISSUED CLRNC THROUGH AFSS TO ACFT X. CLRNC INVOLVED SPECIFIC DEP INSTRUCTIONS. RELIEVED FOR BREAK. PAGED DURING BREAK BY SUPVR. ACFT DEPARTED AND FLEW HDG 180 DEGS INSTEAD OF 'DEPART S, TURN L DIRECT ADM...' AS CLRED. WHEN QUERIED, PLT STATED HE WAS ON CLRED RTE AND THAT HE OBTAINED CLRNC FROM THE FBO AT M18. SUPVR PHONED AFSS, FBO AND ASCERTAINED THAT CLRNC WAS INDEED RELAYED FROM AFSS TO FBO TO PLT. WHEN FBO WAS QUESTIONED BY SUPVR, FBO READ WHAT HE HAD WRITTEN DOWN AND IT MATCHED WHAT I ISSUED TO AFSS. I FAILED TO ASCERTAIN THAT DEP INSTRUCTIONS WOULD PROVIDE TERRAIN/OBSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS. REMAINDER OF CLRNC VALID AND PER 7110.65. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT PLT DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMPLEX CLRNC. NOT USUALLY ISSUED. ALSO, I AM NOT SURE IF IT WAS LEGAL/PRACTICAL/SAFE TO OBTAIN CLRNC FROM FBO (UNTRAINED PARTICIPANT) RATHER THAN QUALIFIED ATC FACILITY. I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO REVIEW FULL CLRNC REQUIREMENTS. RECOMMEND PLT(S) CLARIFY CLRNC REGARDLESS OF LENGTH AND COMPLEXITY.

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.