Narrative:

This was a basic error of pre departure clearance interpretation coupled with other factors. Early am flight from lax with one takeoff runway; 25R; runway 24L being closed. Dispatch release has the LOOP4.dag plus the rest of the route to our destination. The first officer took our clearance off the pre departure clearance. It had the departure release clearance with -OSHUN3.dag- above it. I looked at it too and wrongly thought the LOOP4.dag; plus the rest of the clearance with it; and not the abbreviated OSHUN3.dag above it was our clearance. Other factors were the single early am runway and the loop on the departure release just led us in the wrong direction. When cleared into position and hold prior to takeoff; no first RNAV point was asked by tower as is usually done for RNAV departures. After takeoff at about 2000 ft we were told by socal to proceed direct to pevee. I knew this point from before; put it the FMC; and went LNAV to the point. We both took out the OSHUN3; and when entering the departure; I asked socal if we were indeed on that SID rather than the loop. I had to make sure; but it did alert socal that we had made an error on pre departure clearance clearance. He immediately started vectoring us even though I told him we had the departure entered and were able to continue to RNAV. He finally understood and we continued on the OSHUN3. Luckily; since pevee was given so soon after takeoff; no deviation from the route was made. Also; since it was single runway operations; no conflicts would have happened. Again; this was one of the reasons I thought the loop was the departure. Both of us definitely learned our lesson with the pre departure clearance. I am confident the changed route between the dashes; no matter how small or illogical to our puny minds; is indelibly imprinted in our brains. Know what the pre departure clearance is telling you.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW FAILS TO RECOGNIZE REVISED CLEARANCE ON PDC. ERROR IS DETECTED BEFORE COURSE DEV CAN OCCUR AND CORRECT SID IS ENTERED IN FMC.

Narrative: THIS WAS A BASIC ERROR OF PDC INTERPRETATION COUPLED WITH OTHER FACTORS. EARLY AM FLIGHT FROM LAX WITH ONE TAKEOFF RWY; 25R; RWY 24L BEING CLOSED. DISPATCH RELEASE HAS THE LOOP4.DAG PLUS THE REST OF THE ROUTE TO OUR DEST. THE FO TOOK OUR CLEARANCE OFF THE PDC. IT HAD THE DEP RELEASE CLEARANCE WITH -OSHUN3.DAG- ABOVE IT. I LOOKED AT IT TOO AND WRONGLY THOUGHT THE LOOP4.DAG; PLUS THE REST OF THE CLEARANCE WITH IT; AND NOT THE ABBREVIATED OSHUN3.DAG ABOVE IT WAS OUR CLEARANCE. OTHER FACTORS WERE THE SINGLE EARLY AM RWY AND THE LOOP ON THE DEP RELEASE JUST LED US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. WHEN CLEARED INTO POSITION AND HOLD PRIOR TO TAKEOFF; NO FIRST RNAV POINT WAS ASKED BY TOWER AS IS USUALLY DONE FOR RNAV DEPARTURES. AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 2000 FT WE WERE TOLD BY SOCAL TO PROCEED DIRECT TO PEVEE. I KNEW THIS POINT FROM BEFORE; PUT IT THE FMC; AND WENT LNAV TO THE POINT. WE BOTH TOOK OUT THE OSHUN3; AND WHEN ENTERING THE DEPARTURE; I ASKED SOCAL IF WE WERE INDEED ON THAT SID RATHER THAN THE LOOP. I HAD TO MAKE SURE; BUT IT DID ALERT SOCAL THAT WE HAD MADE AN ERROR ON PDC CLEARANCE. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED VECTORING US EVEN THOUGH I TOLD HIM WE HAD THE DEPARTURE ENTERED AND WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RNAV. HE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD AND WE CONTINUED ON THE OSHUN3. LUCKILY; SINCE PEVEE WAS GIVEN SO SOON AFTER TAKEOFF; NO DEVIATION FROM THE ROUTE WAS MADE. ALSO; SINCE IT WAS SINGLE RWY OPS; NO CONFLICTS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. AGAIN; THIS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I THOUGHT THE LOOP WAS THE DEPARTURE. BOTH OF US DEFINITELY LEARNED OUR LESSON WITH THE PDC. I AM CONFIDENT THE CHANGED ROUTE BETWEEN THE DASHES; NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR ILLOGICAL TO OUR PUNY MINDS; IS INDELIBLY IMPRINTED IN OUR BRAINS. KNOW WHAT THE PDC IS TELLING YOU.

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.