Narrative:

Fourth and final flight on first day of pairing. I was the captain and pm on flight from las. During preflight; both of us failed to see that the pre departure clearance clearance differed from the filed departure. Dispatch had us filed on the las 3 departure; which we never use. Pre departure clearance clearance amended us to the staav 4 departure. The two errors that occurred were the first officer's lack of experience with amended pdcs and my failure to look at the pre departure clearance clearance to catch the error. I should have checked more thoroughly knowing that las never gives us the las 3. There was no threat; just a lack of attention. I will be more diligent to pre departure clearance and route verification in the future.supplemental information from acn 786096: expecting an RNAV out of las. I saw las 3 on release. Dispatch release said 'non standard route.' never having flown it; I dug it out of manual. We both failed to understand the way the pre departure clearance read; even after discussing it. We entered las 3 into FMC. We flew las 3. When questioned by las departure if we were on the staav; we said no; las 3. Departure asked us a few questions; and then told us to continue on las 3. A better understanding of pre departure clearance amendments and punctuation would have been helpful in this situation. Once we discussed the abnormality of flying the las 3; that should have been a hint to verify with ATC as to which departure we were expected to fly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW FAILS TO REALIZE PDC HAS CHANGED THEIR DEP FROM LAS 3 TO STAAV 4.

Narrative: FOURTH AND FINAL FLT ON FIRST DAY OF PAIRING. I WAS THE CAPT AND PM ON FLT FROM LAS. DURING PREFLT; BOTH OF US FAILED TO SEE THAT THE PDC CLRNC DIFFERED FROM THE FILED DEP. DISPATCH HAD US FILED ON THE LAS 3 DEP; WHICH WE NEVER USE. PDC CLRNC AMENDED US TO THE STAAV 4 DEP. THE TWO ERRORS THAT OCCURRED WERE THE FO'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH AMENDED PDCS AND MY FAILURE TO LOOK AT THE PDC CLRNC TO CATCH THE ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED MORE THOROUGHLY KNOWING THAT LAS NEVER GIVES US THE LAS 3. THERE WAS NO THREAT; JUST A LACK OF ATTENTION. I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT TO PDC AND RTE VERIFICATION IN THE FUTURE.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 786096: EXPECTING AN RNAV OUT OF LAS. I SAW LAS 3 ON RELEASE. DISPATCH RELEASE SAID 'NON STANDARD RTE.' NEVER HAVING FLOWN IT; I DUG IT OUT OF MANUAL. WE BOTH FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE WAY THE PDC READ; EVEN AFTER DISCUSSING IT. WE ENTERED LAS 3 INTO FMC. WE FLEW LAS 3. WHEN QUESTIONED BY LAS DEP IF WE WERE ON THE STAAV; WE SAID NO; LAS 3. DEP ASKED US A FEW QUESTIONS; AND THEN TOLD US TO CONTINUE ON LAS 3. A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF PDC AMENDMENTS AND PUNCTUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN THIS SITUATION. ONCE WE DISCUSSED THE ABNORMALITY OF FLYING THE LAS 3; THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HINT TO VERIFY WITH ATC AS TO WHICH DEP WE WERE EXPECTED TO FLY.

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.