A pit local controller reports aircraft turn early on the pit 8 departure after being given a headin...

Attributes
ACN	753353
Time
Date	200709
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit.tower tower : cle.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : pit
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	controller radar : 19 controller time certified in position1 : 9
ASRS Report	753353
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Chart	sid : pit

Narrative:

Aircraft departed runway 28R. Route of flight and clearance was: pit.PIT8.mgw..ric. LC2 assigned 'fly runway heading' to aircraft for noise. At 1700 ft MSL the aircraft was spotted beginning a turn to the south. LC2 queried the pilot and pilot stated he was complying with pit 8. LC2 stated 'you need to take a look at that. Fly heading XXXX contact departure.' the pilot misread this procedure. It is a common mistake; too common. At the time of the incident traffic was not a factor. However; if there had been a KC135 executing practice apches; separation would have been lost. This is an ongoing common problem especially with general aviation and fractional aircraft. I think it has something to do with the presentation of the commercial charts. Tower managers have been working hard trying to get this problem solved. There doesn't seem to be any cooperation from other lines of business within the FAA. I recommend we stop using the pit 8 until another format or version is completed and published.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIT LCL CTLR RPTS ACFT TURN EARLY ON THE PIT 8 DEP AFTER BEING GIVEN A HDG TO FLY BECAUSE OF CONFUSING CHART FORMATTING.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED RWY 28R. RTE OF FLT AND CLRNC WAS: PIT.PIT8.MGW..RIC. LC2 ASSIGNED 'FLY RWY HDG' TO ACFT FOR NOISE. AT 1700 FT MSL THE ACFT WAS SPOTTED BEGINNING A TURN TO THE S. LC2 QUERIED THE PLT AND PLT STATED HE WAS COMPLYING WITH PIT 8. LC2 STATED 'YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. FLY HDG XXXX CONTACT DEP.' THE PLT MISREAD THIS PROC. IT IS A COMMON MISTAKE; TOO COMMON. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT TFC WAS NOT A FACTOR. HOWEVER; IF THERE HAD BEEN A KC135 EXECUTING PRACTICE APCHES; SEPARATION WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST. THIS IS AN ONGOING COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY WITH GENERAL AVIATION AND FRACTIONAL ACFT. I THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS. TOWER MANAGERS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TRYING TO GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY COOPERATION FROM OTHER LINES OF BUSINESS WITHIN THE FAA. I RECOMMEND WE STOP USING THE PIT 8 UNTIL ANOTHER FORMAT OR VERSION IS COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED.

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 pit local controller reports aircraft turn early on the pit 8 departure after being given a heading to fly because of confusing chart formatting.