A320 crew had a departure heading question after takeoff on runway 1 at dca.

Attributes
ACN	529842
Time
Date	200111
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : dca.tower
Chart	airport : dca.airport
Publication	COMMERCIAL CHART

Narrative:

Thorough preflight brief for flight noted new 10-7 D/east page for dca, especially depart note 2 saying 'expect' to make left turn to intercept/fly dca 328 degree radial off runway 1. Normal taxi and line up on runway 1. Tower issued clear to takeoff with no further instructions. Immediately after rotation captain (PF) asked if we should go runway heading. I called tower to ask, they said negative. We immediately turned left to intercept dca 328 degree radial. We did not transgress P56, in fact, did not even reach the center of the potomac. However, tower seemed upset that we had to ask about heading after takeoff. During this distraction, we did overshoot dca 328 degree radial to the west and corrected back. 10-7E page note 2 led us to believe that tower would issue a specific instruction on when to intercept. We should have cleared this up prior to takeoff roll, then we would not have been distraction airborne and deviated west of dca 328 degree radial. Also, dca 10-7E page note 2 should state in no uncertain terms to immediately turn and intercept, not to 'expect.' this was captain's and my first dca flight since sep/01.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD A DEP HDG QUESTION AFTER TKOF ON RWY 1 AT DCA.

Narrative: THOROUGH PREFLT BRIEF FOR FLT NOTED NEW 10-7 D/E PAGE FOR DCA, ESPECIALLY DEPART NOTE 2 SAYING 'EXPECT' TO MAKE L TURN TO INTERCEPT/FLY DCA 328 DEG RADIAL OFF RWY 1. NORMAL TAXI AND LINE UP ON RWY 1. TWR ISSUED CLR TO TKOF WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROTATION CAPT (PF) ASKED IF WE SHOULD GO RWY HDG. I CALLED TWR TO ASK, THEY SAID NEGATIVE. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED L TO INTERCEPT DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. WE DID NOT TRANSGRESS P56, IN FACT, DID NOT EVEN REACH THE CTR OF THE POTOMAC. HOWEVER, TWR SEEMED UPSET THAT WE HAD TO ASK ABOUT HDG AFTER TKOF. DURING THIS DISTR, WE DID OVERSHOOT DCA 328 DEG RADIAL TO THE W AND CORRECTED BACK. 10-7E PAGE NOTE 2 LED US TO BELIEVE THAT TWR WOULD ISSUE A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION ON WHEN TO INTERCEPT. WE SHOULD HAVE CLRED THIS UP PRIOR TO TKOF ROLL, THEN WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISTR AIRBORNE AND DEVIATED W OF DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. ALSO, DCA 10-7E PAGE NOTE 2 SHOULD STATE IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO IMMEDIATELY TURN AND INTERCEPT, NOT TO 'EXPECT.' THIS WAS CAPT'S AND MY FIRST DCA FLT SINCE SEP/01.

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.