In the absence of an assigned SID or radar vector; BE20 flight crew flies obstacle departure procedu...

Attributes
ACN	762360
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bcb.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : charter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	762364
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

The filed route for the flight was gso J14 spa odf.AWSON1. The clearance from ATC was 'as filed; climb and maintain 6000; hold for release; report when #1.' when the release was issued by ATC; no initial heading was given; therefore I elected to fly the published obstacle departure procedure for runway 12. The odp calls for a runway heading climb to 2600 ft then climbing right turn to tec NDB; cross tec at 6000 ft before turning on course. Shortly after takeoff the first officer established radio communications with departure control. At that time the aircraft was in the right turn to tec NDB. ATC stated 'radar contact; proceed on course.' when the aircraft was established on the northwesterly heading toward the tec NDB; ATC asked where we were going. I stated that I was flying the obstacle departure procedure as published. ATC then stated that there were other aircraft in that direction; and that ATC had previously cleared me on course. I immediately made a left turn direct to gso. Who is responsible for terrain and obstacle clearance? Quoting the aeronautical information manual 5-2-8: 'odp's are recommended for obstruction clearance and may be flown without ATC clearance unless an alternate departure procedure (SID or radar vector) has been specifically assigned by ATC.' because I was not issued a SID or a radar vector; I assumed the responsibility for obstacle clearance was mine and I continued to fly the odp. Quoting again the aim 5-2-8: 'note: when used by the controller during departure; the term 'radar contact' should not be interpreted as relieving pilots of their responsibility to maintain appropriate terrain and obstruction clearance which may include flying the obstacle departure.' it is clear from the controller's comments that they felt that terrain clearance was adequate for the flight to proceed direct to gso. It is unclr to me how a pilot is to know when ATC has assumed the responsibility of terrain and obstacle clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ASSIGNED SID OR RADAR VECTOR; BE20 FLT CREW FLIES OBSTACLE DEP PROCEDURE FROM BCB. DEP CTLR SUGGESTS THEY SHOULD BE GOING DIRECT TO THEIR FIRST AIRWAY FIX.

Narrative: THE FILED RTE FOR THE FLT WAS GSO J14 SPA ODF.AWSON1. THE CLRNC FROM ATC WAS 'AS FILED; CLB AND MAINTAIN 6000; HOLD FOR RELEASE; RPT WHEN #1.' WHEN THE RELEASE WAS ISSUED BY ATC; NO INITIAL HDG WAS GIVEN; THEREFORE I ELECTED TO FLY THE PUBLISHED OBSTACLE DEP PROC FOR RWY 12. THE ODP CALLS FOR A RWY HDG CLB TO 2600 FT THEN CLBING R TURN TO TEC NDB; CROSS TEC AT 6000 FT BEFORE TURNING ON COURSE. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE FO ESTABLISHED RADIO COMS WITH DEP CTL. AT THAT TIME THE ACFT WAS IN THE R TURN TO TEC NDB. ATC STATED 'RADAR CONTACT; PROCEED ON COURSE.' WHEN THE ACFT WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE NORTHWESTERLY HDG TOWARD THE TEC NDB; ATC ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING. I STATED THAT I WAS FLYING THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC AS PUBLISHED. ATC THEN STATED THAT THERE WERE OTHER ACFT IN THAT DIRECTION; AND THAT ATC HAD PREVIOUSLY CLRED ME ON COURSE. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A L TURN DIRECT TO GSO. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRAIN AND OBSTACLE CLRNC? QUOTING THE AERO INFO MANUAL 5-2-8: 'ODP'S ARE RECOMMENDED FOR OBSTRUCTION CLRNC AND MAY BE FLOWN WITHOUT ATC CLRNC UNLESS AN ALTERNATE DEP PROC (SID OR RADAR VECTOR) HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED BY ATC.' BECAUSE I WAS NOT ISSUED A SID OR A RADAR VECTOR; I ASSUMED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OBSTACLE CLRNC WAS MINE AND I CONTINUED TO FLY THE ODP. QUOTING AGAIN THE AIM 5-2-8: 'NOTE: WHEN USED BY THE CTLR DURING DEP; THE TERM 'RADAR CONTACT' SHOULD NOT BE INTERPED AS RELIEVING PLTS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTION CLRNC WHICH MAY INCLUDE FLYING THE OBSTACLE DEP.' IT IS CLR FROM THE CTLR'S COMMENTS THAT THEY FELT THAT TERRAIN CLRNC WAS ADEQUATE FOR THE FLT TO PROCEED DIRECT TO GSO. IT IS UNCLR TO ME HOW A PLT IS TO KNOW WHEN ATC HAS ASSUMED THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TERRAIN AND OBSTACLE CLRNC.

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.

In the absence of an assigned SID or radar vector; BE20 flight crew flies obstacle departure procedure from bcb. Departure controller suggests they should be going direct to their first airway fix.