A crj-200 flight crew reports when departing lga on the LGA1 departure they are often cleared direct...

Attributes
ACN	743644
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : la guardia
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 3900
ASRS Report	743644
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

This event is to describe a recurring problem on the laguardia one departure; which can result in a course deviation. Our clearance was to depart lga runway 4 -- vectors to white intersection -- then as filed. After climbing through 10000 feet; new york departure cleared us direct col; direct white then on course. Col is north of white and not in the FMS nor part of our clearance. During the past month; this is the 3RD time I've been cleared direct col; and it's always with a sense of urgency from the controller. They expect an immediate turn due to traffic but never offer a heading unless asked. Does ATC realize col is not part of our departure clearance? Complicating things further is the FMS. There are 2 col VOR's in the FMS so it asks the user to pick the correct one while ATC is demanding a turn. In this incident; we were in the turn towards col when ATC asked us if we were going direct. I don't believe any errors were made by us or ATC; but everyone seems to get frustrated by this clearance. I do not believe aircraft separation was violated. In hindsight; I should have asked for an initial heading to col. Because of the recurring problem; perhaps a note should be added to the dispatch release warning pilots ATC may issue a clearance to col when being vectored to white.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-200 FLT CREW REPORTS WHEN DEPARTING LGA ON THE LGA1 DEP THEY ARE OFTEN CLEARED DIRECT COL VOR; WHICH IS NOT ON THE DEP ROUTE; OFTEN CAUSING CONFUSION RESULTING IN A DELAY IN MAKING THE TURN.

Narrative: THIS EVENT IS TO DESCRIBE A RECURRING PROBLEM ON THE LAGUARDIA ONE DEPARTURE; WHICH CAN RESULT IN A COURSE DEVIATION. OUR CLEARANCE WAS TO DEPART LGA RUNWAY 4 -- VECTORS TO WHITE INTERSECTION -- THEN AS FILED. AFTER CLIMBING THROUGH 10000 FEET; NEW YORK DEPARTURE CLEARED US DIRECT COL; DIRECT WHITE THEN ON COURSE. COL IS NORTH OF WHITE AND NOT IN THE FMS NOR PART OF OUR CLEARANCE. DURING THE PAST MONTH; THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I'VE BEEN CLEARED DIRECT COL; AND IT'S ALWAYS WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY FROM THE CONTROLLER. THEY EXPECT AN IMMEDIATE TURN DUE TO TRAFFIC BUT NEVER OFFER A HEADING UNLESS ASKED. DOES ATC REALIZE COL IS NOT PART OF OUR DEPARTURE CLEARANCE? COMPLICATING THINGS FURTHER IS THE FMS. THERE ARE 2 COL VOR'S IN THE FMS SO IT ASKS THE USER TO PICK THE CORRECT ONE WHILE ATC IS DEMANDING A TURN. IN THIS INCIDENT; WE WERE IN THE TURN TOWARDS COL WHEN ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING DIRECT. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY ERRORS WERE MADE BY US OR ATC; BUT EVERYONE SEEMS TO GET FRUSTRATED BY THIS CLEARANCE. I DO NOT BELIEVE AIRCRAFT SEPARATION WAS VIOLATED. IN HINDSIGHT; I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR AN INITIAL HEADING TO COL. BECAUSE OF THE RECURRING PROBLEM; PERHAPS A NOTE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE DISPATCH RELEASE WARNING PILOTS ATC MAY ISSUE A CLEARANCE TO COL WHEN BEING VECTORED TO WHITE.

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.

A crj-200 flight crew reports when departing lga on the LGA1 departure they are often cleared direct col VOR; which is not on the departure route; often causing confusion resulting in a delay in making the turn.