Narrative:

Situation: assigned departure from dvt. Used FMS to enter departure procedure; for the departure procedure FMS displayed: pxr-4000-pxr-bkx. Course line pointed both north and south. I had never seen a departure procedure like that before; and north course line led off into seemingly nowhere away from actual assigned route. It did not link up with the remainder of the clearance. I was told to fly the departure procedure and expect vectors to the buckeye VOR. As a result; I thought I would be vectored to the actual airway -- V16 -- between pxr and bkx. Departed airport and climbed to 4000 ft; then turned to the displayed departure course (south). Later; after a delay in confirming radar contact because I was no where expected. I understood the departure procedure should have started with a turn to the north; climb to 4000 ft (I was told 5000 ft); back over the airport; and then to pxr. But this is not what happened either. What the procedure clearance meant was climb from airport to a north course; defined by a radial off the pxr VOR; then circle until at 4000 ft (actually assigned 5000 ft); then vectors direct to bkx. Apparently this is a common situation for people at this airport; I had never been there before so it was unfamiliar. And it is not really the departure procedure either. Contributing factors: 1) unfamiliar with local customs. 2) FMS (G1000) representation almost unrelated to the actual departure procedure; quite confusing. 3) I had planned to land at glendale airport; checked NOTAMS -- all ok; and when very close was told airport was closed for remainder of the day. Must have been an emergency of some kind; had to divert to deer valley. I had studied the departure procedures for glendale in more detail. How discovered: when I had the more detailed explanation by departure; and was admonished. Only then did I understand what was actually expected. Corrective action: 1) need to call off the departure until the requirements are crystal clear. I thought I was clear; apparently not. 2) now understand what the 4000 ft representation means on the FMS. Fairly certain that is undocumented. But now makes some sense. 3) obtained electronic flight bag machine to make unexpected procedures quicker to find. In use since.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PLT OF DA40 FAILS TO FOLLOW THE DEER VALLEY OBSTACLE DEP PROC FROM DVT.

Narrative: SITUATION: ASSIGNED DEP FROM DVT. USED FMS TO ENTER DEP PROC; FOR THE DEP PROC FMS DISPLAYED: PXR-4000-PXR-BKX. COURSE LINE POINTED BOTH N AND S. I HAD NEVER SEEN A DEP PROC LIKE THAT BEFORE; AND N COURSE LINE LED OFF INTO SEEMINGLY NOWHERE AWAY FROM ACTUAL ASSIGNED RTE. IT DID NOT LINK UP WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE CLRNC. I WAS TOLD TO FLY THE DEP PROC AND EXPECT VECTORS TO THE BUCKEYE VOR. AS A RESULT; I THOUGHT I WOULD BE VECTORED TO THE ACTUAL AIRWAY -- V16 -- BETWEEN PXR AND BKX. DEPARTED ARPT AND CLBED TO 4000 FT; THEN TURNED TO THE DISPLAYED DEP COURSE (SOUTH). LATER; AFTER A DELAY IN CONFIRMING RADAR CONTACT BECAUSE I WAS NO WHERE EXPECTED. I UNDERSTOOD THE DEP PROC SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH A TURN TO THE N; CLB TO 4000 FT (I WAS TOLD 5000 FT); BACK OVER THE ARPT; AND THEN TO PXR. BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED EITHER. WHAT THE PROC CLRNC MEANT WAS CLB FROM ARPT TO A N COURSE; DEFINED BY A RADIAL OFF THE PXR VOR; THEN CIRCLE UNTIL AT 4000 FT (ACTUALLY ASSIGNED 5000 FT); THEN VECTORS DIRECT TO BKX. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON SITUATION FOR PEOPLE AT THIS ARPT; I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE SO IT WAS UNFAMILIAR. AND IT IS NOT REALLY THE DEP PROC EITHER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) UNFAMILIAR WITH LOCAL CUSTOMS. 2) FMS (G1000) REPRESENTATION ALMOST UNRELATED TO THE ACTUAL DEP PROC; QUITE CONFUSING. 3) I HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT GLENDALE ARPT; CHKED NOTAMS -- ALL OK; AND WHEN VERY CLOSE WAS TOLD ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR REMAINDER OF THE DAY. MUST HAVE BEEN AN EMER OF SOME KIND; HAD TO DIVERT TO DEER VALLEY. I HAD STUDIED THE DEP PROCS FOR GLENDALE IN MORE DETAIL. HOW DISCOVERED: WHEN I HAD THE MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION BY DEP; AND WAS ADMONISHED. ONLY THEN DID I UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY EXPECTED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) NEED TO CALL OFF THE DEP UNTIL THE REQUIREMENTS ARE CRYSTAL CLR. I THOUGHT I WAS CLR; APPARENTLY NOT. 2) NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT THE 4000 FT REPRESENTATION MEANS ON THE FMS. FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IS UNDOCUMENTED. BUT NOW MAKES SOME SENSE. 3) OBTAINED ELECTRONIC FLT BAG MACHINE TO MAKE UNEXPECTED PROCS QUICKER TO FIND. IN USE SINCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.