Narrative:

Our pre departure clearance stated: sea mwh...mountain 5 departure; maintain 9000 ft. Pre departure clearance also stated 'revised segment 'sea J90 mwh.' at gate; revised segment was loaded into FMC route. The mountain 5 departure/fix dropped out. We failed to reselect it. After liftoff; as tower was busy talking to other aircraft; we were not handed off to departure control. I queried tower if they wanted us to switch to departure. They said yes. After liftoff; at 400 ft; i-nav was selected and aircraft was hand flown. First officer began left turn to join J90 mwh. I said to first officer that our turn/course to the left did not look correct. He shallowed bank/turn. I dialed up departure frequency; checked in with 'aircraft X; climbing 9000 ft; confirm our routing.' departure asked if we were given heading by tower. I said no. Departure then instructed us to turn right 160 degrees (we had made the turn to about 120 degrees by this time). We turned to 160 degrees; broke out on top about 3500 ft MSL; and visually observed mt rainier to our right. Shortly after being steady on 160 degree heading; departure cleared us 'fly 060 degrees; direct mwh; on course.' we did; and received no further comments from departure; and was handed off to center. About 30 mins later; center said that sea TRACON wanted us to call them about possible route deviation. I called when arriving at destination; discussed all aspects with a TRACON supervisor. We both understood what had occurred. They told me that 'nothing else will come of it.' may I suggest that it would be best if our dispatchers would file routings the same as the departure's/center's computers like routings to be filed. This will avoid 'revised segment' on pre departure clearance; which would decrease pilot workload and the chance for FMC routing errors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSING FORMAT OF FILED AND REVISED ROUTE SEGMENTS ON PDC CONTRIBUTES TO TRACK DEV AND CFTT FOR B757-200.

Narrative: OUR PDC STATED: SEA MWH...MOUNTAIN 5 DEP; MAINTAIN 9000 FT. PDC ALSO STATED 'REVISED SEGMENT 'SEA J90 MWH.' AT GATE; REVISED SEGMENT WAS LOADED INTO FMC RTE. THE MOUNTAIN 5 DEP/FIX DROPPED OUT. WE FAILED TO RESELECT IT. AFTER LIFTOFF; AS TWR WAS BUSY TALKING TO OTHER ACFT; WE WERE NOT HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL. I QUERIED TWR IF THEY WANTED US TO SWITCH TO DEP. THEY SAID YES. AFTER LIFTOFF; AT 400 FT; I-NAV WAS SELECTED AND ACFT WAS HAND FLOWN. FO BEGAN L TURN TO JOIN J90 MWH. I SAID TO FO THAT OUR TURN/COURSE TO THE L DID NOT LOOK CORRECT. HE SHALLOWED BANK/TURN. I DIALED UP DEP FREQ; CHKED IN WITH 'ACFT X; CLBING 9000 FT; CONFIRM OUR ROUTING.' DEP ASKED IF WE WERE GIVEN HDG BY TWR. I SAID NO. DEP THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R 160 DEGS (WE HAD MADE THE TURN TO ABOUT 120 DEGS BY THIS TIME). WE TURNED TO 160 DEGS; BROKE OUT ON TOP ABOUT 3500 FT MSL; AND VISUALLY OBSERVED MT RAINIER TO OUR R. SHORTLY AFTER BEING STEADY ON 160 DEG HDG; DEP CLRED US 'FLY 060 DEGS; DIRECT MWH; ON COURSE.' WE DID; AND RECEIVED NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM DEP; AND WAS HANDED OFF TO CTR. ABOUT 30 MINS LATER; CTR SAID THAT SEA TRACON WANTED US TO CALL THEM ABOUT POSSIBLE RTE DEV. I CALLED WHEN ARRIVING AT DEST; DISCUSSED ALL ASPECTS WITH A TRACON SUPVR. WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THEY TOLD ME THAT 'NOTHING ELSE WILL COME OF IT.' MAY I SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF OUR DISPATCHERS WOULD FILE ROUTINGS THE SAME AS THE DEP'S/CTR'S COMPUTERS LIKE ROUTINGS TO BE FILED. THIS WILL AVOID 'REVISED SEGMENT' ON PDC; WHICH WOULD DECREASE PLT WORKLOAD AND THE CHANCE FOR FMC ROUTING ERRORS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.