A course deviation when flying a modified idale RNAV 1 departure at las, nv.

Attributes
ACN	564074
Time
Date	200210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon tower : las.tower tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	564074
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Captain turned early on departure. Cause/contributing factors: departure instructions were vague and given last min just prior to departure. Captain executed turn early. First officer failed to notice early turn and correct captain. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the departure issued was the idale 1. During clearance onto the runway, the departure was changed to 'turn to a heading at the 2 DME' then 'cleared for takeoff without delay.' the captain was not clear as to what was wanted and began the turn prior to the 2 DME fix. Clarification was not requested due to the urgency of the without delay comment and concern about approaching landing traffic. The reporter suggested that 'las vegas needs to get departure procedures ironed out and quit changing them so often.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COURSE DEV WHEN FLYING A MODIFIED IDALE RNAV 1 DEP AT LAS, NV.

Narrative: CAPT TURNED EARLY ON DEP. CAUSE/CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DEP INSTRUCTIONS WERE VAGUE AND GIVEN LAST MIN JUST PRIOR TO DEP. CAPT EXECUTED TURN EARLY. FO FAILED TO NOTICE EARLY TURN AND CORRECT CAPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE DEP ISSUED WAS THE IDALE 1. DURING CLRNC ONTO THE RWY, THE DEP WAS CHANGED TO 'TURN TO A HDG AT THE 2 DME' THEN 'CLRED FOR TKOF WITHOUT DELAY.' THE CAPT WAS NOT CLR AS TO WHAT WAS WANTED AND BEGAN THE TURN PRIOR TO THE 2 DME FIX. CLARIFICATION WAS NOT REQUESTED DUE TO THE URGENCY OF THE WITHOUT DELAY COMMENT AND CONCERN ABOUT APCHING LNDG TFC. THE RPTR SUGGESTED THAT 'LAS VEGAS NEEDS TO GET DEP PROCS IRONED OUT AND QUIT CHANGING THEM SO OFTEN.'

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.