Narrative:

Dispatch release noted a non standard routing to den with the tralr departure filed in the system. Pre departure clearance displays the tralr as well as the staav. The staav was submitted as a change to our filed routing. Neither of us caught the change. The tralr was loaded and briefed. Climbing to our first fix on the departure; we were unable to immediately establish radio contact with departure. We had to switch frequencys from the original departure controller whom we checked in with. When we did get the right departure controller; we had just begun our left turn on the tralr. The controller issued us a right turn to follow the staav's ground track. We at first thought the controller was doing us a favor with the vectors; because we would have preferred a northbound turnout. Instead we determined that the controller had intended for us to fly the staav departure all the while. Two vectors were given. The staav was plugged in and flown without problems. In fact our ground track was most likely right on track in that we caught the error just as we were starting to make the first turn. During the predep briefing instead of just looking at the route page 2 I will now verify the route page 2 and the ACARS pre departure clearance for last min changes to the plan. Supplemental information from acn 809832: we received a non-standard route on our dispatch release; which included the TRALR2 departure; which was also listed on the pre departure clearance as part of the routing. I programmed the TRALR2 into the FMC; then selected LNAV at 400 ft AGL; then autoplt at 1000 ft AGL. The aircraft began its turn south on course; followed by departure control telling us to turn to 360 degree heading and maintain 7000 ft MSL. We complied; and then were told we should be on the staav departure. I reprogrammed the FMC to comply and continued the STAAV4 departure. Departure control stated that this had happened several times recently. No further problems occurred during the departure; nor was there ever a separation problem. In addition; I have noticed several times that the pre departure clearance initial altitude does not match the altitude on the printed departure; so I always call clearance delivery to clear this conflict. They don't seem to know that our printed departures differ from what they want on the initial altitude. Ensure that the pre departure clearance information is exactly the same as the information ATC receives. Remove all ambiguity from the pre departure clearance clearance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW FAILED TO SEE THE SECOND PDC PAGE WHICH INCLUDED A LAS SID REVISION; AND SO AFTER TAKEOFF TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION. ATC GAVE IMMEDIATE VECTORS.

Narrative: DISPATCH RELEASE NOTED A NON STANDARD ROUTING TO DEN WITH THE TRALR DEP FILED IN THE SYS. PDC DISPLAYS THE TRALR AS WELL AS THE STAAV. THE STAAV WAS SUBMITTED AS A CHANGE TO OUR FILED ROUTING. NEITHER OF US CAUGHT THE CHANGE. THE TRALR WAS LOADED AND BRIEFED. CLBING TO OUR FIRST FIX ON THE DEP; WE WERE UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH DEP. WE HAD TO SWITCH FREQS FROM THE ORIGINAL DEP CTLR WHOM WE CHKED IN WITH. WHEN WE DID GET THE RIGHT DEP CTLR; WE HAD JUST BEGUN OUR L TURN ON THE TRALR. THE CTLR ISSUED US A R TURN TO FOLLOW THE STAAV'S GND TRACK. WE AT FIRST THOUGHT THE CTLR WAS DOING US A FAVOR WITH THE VECTORS; BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A NBOUND TURNOUT. INSTEAD WE DETERMINED THAT THE CTLR HAD INTENDED FOR US TO FLY THE STAAV DEP ALL THE WHILE. TWO VECTORS WERE GIVEN. THE STAAV WAS PLUGGED IN AND FLOWN WITHOUT PROBS. IN FACT OUR GND TRACK WAS MOST LIKELY RIGHT ON TRACK IN THAT WE CAUGHT THE ERROR JUST AS WE WERE STARTING TO MAKE THE FIRST TURN. DURING THE PREDEP BRIEFING INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT THE RTE PAGE 2 I WILL NOW VERIFY THE RTE PAGE 2 AND THE ACARS PDC FOR LAST MIN CHANGES TO THE PLAN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 809832: WE RECEIVED A NON-STANDARD RTE ON OUR DISPATCH RELEASE; WHICH INCLUDED THE TRALR2 DEP; WHICH WAS ALSO LISTED ON THE PDC AS PART OF THE ROUTING. I PROGRAMMED THE TRALR2 INTO THE FMC; THEN SELECTED LNAV AT 400 FT AGL; THEN AUTOPLT AT 1000 FT AGL. THE ACFT BEGAN ITS TURN S ON COURSE; FOLLOWED BY DEP CTL TELLING US TO TURN TO 360 DEG HDG AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT MSL. WE COMPLIED; AND THEN WERE TOLD WE SHOULD BE ON THE STAAV DEP. I REPROGRAMMED THE FMC TO COMPLY AND CONTINUED THE STAAV4 DEP. DEP CTL STATED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY. NO FURTHER PROBS OCCURRED DURING THE DEP; NOR WAS THERE EVER A SEPARATION PROB. IN ADDITION; I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE PDC INITIAL ALT DOES NOT MATCH THE ALT ON THE PRINTED DEP; SO I ALWAYS CALL CLRNC DELIVERY TO CLR THIS CONFLICT. THEY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW THAT OUR PRINTED DEPS DIFFER FROM WHAT THEY WANT ON THE INITIAL ALT. ENSURE THAT THE PDC INFO IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE INFO ATC RECEIVES. REMOVE ALL AMBIGUITY FROM THE PDC CLRNC.

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.