B737 flight crew misreads phl 8 SID on runway 27L takeoff and turns to 240 heading vice 255 as displ...

Attributes
ACN	811430
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : phl 8
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 156
ASRS Report	811430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	811433
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We misread the takeoff heading of the SID page. On the SID page for phl; the heading lines appear to cross at the end of 27L runway. We turned to a 240 heading on takeoff from runway 27L. We failed to read the back of the SID page where the procedure text is written. It was unusual to find the text on a different page and I failed to look on the back. After turning up the light in the cockpit I realized the notation at the bottom to see the SID page and that the lines on the SID page actually intersected. The departure controller asked us what heading we were flying; and then asked if it had been assigned by tower. He then gave us a heading of 270 degrees. There was no known traffic conflict and I do not think it created a problem. Nevertheless; we will make sure to read the text for the departure next time rather than relying on the depiction alone. Turning the cockpit map light up brighter would have helped as well. Turning up the map light and making sure to look for a text description; even if it is hard to find on the back. It would be much more user-friendly to have the text on the same side of the page.supplemental information from acn 811433: realize the PHL8 is poorly drawn. There are no printed takeoff procedures; initial headings must be deduced from the picture. No excuse; I should have caught it; but didn't.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW MISREADS PHL 8 SID ON RWY 27L TAKEOFF AND TURNS TO 240 HDG VICE 255 AS DISPLAYED. FAILED TO NOTE COMMERCIAL PAGE HAD TEXTUAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROCS ON THE BACK OF THE SID PAGE -- A VERY UNUSUAL FORMAT.

Narrative: WE MISREAD THE TKOF HEADING OF THE SID PAGE. ON THE SID PAGE FOR PHL; THE HEADING LINES APPEAR TO CROSS AT THE END OF 27L RWY. WE TURNED TO A 240 HEADING ON TAKEOFF FROM RWY 27L. WE FAILED TO READ THE BACK OF THE SID PAGE WHERE THE PROCEDURE TEXT IS WRITTEN. IT WAS UNUSUAL TO FIND THE TEXT ON A DIFFERENT PAGE AND I FAILED TO LOOK ON THE BACK. AFTER TURNING UP THE LIGHT IN THE COCKPIT I REALIZED THE NOTATION AT THE BOTTOM TO SEE THE SID PAGE AND THAT THE LINES ON THE SID PAGE ACTUALLY INTERSECTED. THE DEP CTLR ASKED US WHAT HEADING WE WERE FLYING; AND THEN ASKED IF IT HAD BEEN ASSIGNED BY TOWER. HE THEN GAVE US A HEADING OF 270 DEGS. THERE WAS NO KNOWN TFC CONFLICT AND I DO NOT THINK IT CREATED A PROBLEM. NEVERTHELESS; WE WILL MAKE SURE TO READ THE TEXT FOR THE DEP NEXT TIME RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE DEPICTION ALONE. TURNING THE COCKPIT MAP LIGHT UP BRIGHTER WOULD HAVE HELPED AS WELL. TURNING UP THE MAP LIGHT AND MAKING SURE TO LOOK FOR A TEXT DESCRIPTION; EVEN IF IT IS HARD TO FIND ON THE BACK. IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE USER-FRIENDLY TO HAVE THE TEXT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE PAGE.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 811433: REALIZE THE PHL8 IS POORLY DRAWN. THERE ARE NO PRINTED TAKEOFF PROCEDURES; INITIAL HEADINGS MUST BE DEDUCED FROM THE PICTURE. NO EXCUSE; I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT; BUT DIDN'T.

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.

B737 flight crew misreads phl 8 SID on runway 27L takeoff and turns to 240 heading vice 255 as displayed. Failed to note commercial page had textual descriptions of the procedures on the back of the SID page -- a very unusual format.