B737-300 flight crew has a track-heading deviation during departure from cle.

Attributes
ACN	717761
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : amrst
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 226 flight time type : 9600
ASRS Report	717761
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	717674
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Received standard clearance at the gate; AMRST1 to waterville as filed maintain 5000 ft. We briefed the SID; which is a left turn to the djb 082 degree radial inbound. We called prior to push at about XA10 CST and were given a wheels up time of XA30 CST. Pushed back at XA19 and started taxi out to runway 6R. Monitoring cle tower there were several aircraft on frequency landing on runway 6L and one behind us. Tower cleared our position and hold on runway 6R. While I was taxiing into position we were 'cleared for takeoff runway 6R' and the first officer repeated it back. Neither one of us heard or read back any heading instructions. I gave the aircraft to the first officer and I became the pm; he conducted the takeoff and began a left turnout around 800 ft to 1000 ft AGL. Tower sent us to departure on 128.25 and should have observed our turnout. Passing about 2500-3000 ft and about 320 degrees on the heading; cle departure asked what our heading was. I responded turning towards 262 degrees to djb. He immediately told us to turn back to 360 degrees and asked if we were given a heading by tower. I said no and he responded they would check the tapes. If an assigned heading is going to be standard procedure; then the SID should say so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK-HDG DEV DURING DEP FROM CLE.

Narrative: RECEIVED STANDARD CLRNC AT THE GATE; AMRST1 TO WATERVILLE AS FILED MAINTAIN 5000 FT. WE BRIEFED THE SID; WHICH IS A L TURN TO THE DJB 082 DEG RADIAL INBOUND. WE CALLED PRIOR TO PUSH AT ABOUT XA10 CST AND WERE GIVEN A WHEELS UP TIME OF XA30 CST. PUSHED BACK AT XA19 AND STARTED TAXI OUT TO RWY 6R. MONITORING CLE TWR THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT ON FREQ LNDG ON RWY 6L AND ONE BEHIND US. TWR CLRED OUR POS AND HOLD ON RWY 6R. WHILE I WAS TAXIING INTO POS WE WERE 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 6R' AND THE FO REPEATED IT BACK. NEITHER ONE OF US HEARD OR READ BACK ANY HDG INSTRUCTIONS. I GAVE THE ACFT TO THE FO AND I BECAME THE PM; HE CONDUCTED THE TKOF AND BEGAN A L TURNOUT AROUND 800 FT TO 1000 FT AGL. TWR SENT US TO DEP ON 128.25 AND SHOULD HAVE OBSERVED OUR TURNOUT. PASSING ABOUT 2500-3000 FT AND ABOUT 320 DEGS ON THE HDG; CLE DEP ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. I RESPONDED TURNING TOWARDS 262 DEGS TO DJB. HE IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO TURN BACK TO 360 DEGS AND ASKED IF WE WERE GIVEN A HDG BY TWR. I SAID NO AND HE RESPONDED THEY WOULD CHK THE TAPES. IF AN ASSIGNED HDG IS GOING TO BE STANDARD PROC; THEN THE SID SHOULD SAY SO.

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.