Narrative:

Ont-ZZZ. Crew alert. ATC route change: 'pdz PDZ130/OCN080 ocn...then as filed. Contact socal departure frequency; turn right direct pdz; squawk XXXX.' pre-departure duties were normal and unhurried. Tower cleared us for takeoff; caution wake turbulence behind departing DC10. At 400 ft AGL; I called for heading select and commenced a right turn. Sometime during the turn; we checked in with socal departure and were given an immediate left turn to heading 180 degrees and a climb to 6;000 ft. The controller repeated the call for an immediate left turn to heading 180 degrees and told us we turned the wrong direction after takeoff. We were then cleared direct pdz and climbing to 8;000 ft and continue with prado 4 departure. At this point; I told the controller we were cleared to turn right direct pdz and track outbound on the pdz 130 degree radial to intercept a radial inbound to ocn. He told me we 'never' turn right out of ont and then recleared us direct pdz flight plan route. Then he asked us to call ATC upon landing in ZZZ. During my phone conversation with ATC; I reiterated that we received a pre departure clearance to turn right after takeoff direct to pdz. ATC mentioned that that clearance would be for a takeoff from runway 8R. I told him that our pre departure clearance does not specify a runway. He asked if I was sure that we were given a clearance to turn right. I assured him we were. He never mentioned whether there was a conflict with another aircraft. He said his concern was for terrain clearance. He said he would send a report up the chain and thanked me for calling. I am not a stranger to ont and I know that we always turn left off of runway 26L and right off of runway 8R. But my departures had always been to the north or the east on the pomona or prado sids. I had never flown to ZZZ from ont. The clearance we received to track outbound on a radial to intercept another radial was new to me so I thought perhaps the right turn off of runway 26L was related to this different clearance. I am also aware of the san gabriel mountains to the north but was confident we could make the right turn safely. Looking back; I should have called clearance and asked for a clarification. I suspected this clearance might be for a runway 8R departure. Our flight plan said to expect runway 8R yet ATIS was reporting runway 26L for departure and we watched several aircraft take off from runway 26L. I even queried ground control (before engine start) which runway we could expect. They confirmed it would be runway 26L. So I accepted the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier pilot departed ONT Runway 26L and turned right because the flight's revised PDC directed a right turn after takeoff. The right turn clearance was an error because of high terrain north. The right turn after departure is usually from Runway 8R.

Narrative: ONT-ZZZ. Crew Alert. ATC route change: 'PDZ PDZ130/OCN080 OCN...then as filed. Contact SOCAL Departure frequency; turn right direct PDZ; squawk XXXX.' Pre-departure duties were normal and unhurried. Tower cleared us for takeoff; caution wake turbulence behind departing DC10. At 400 FT AGL; I called for heading select and commenced a right turn. Sometime during the turn; we checked in with SOCAL Departure and were given an immediate left turn to heading 180 degrees and a climb to 6;000 FT. The Controller repeated the call for an immediate left turn to heading 180 degrees and told us we turned the wrong direction after takeoff. We were then cleared direct PDZ and climbing to 8;000 FT and continue with PRADO 4 departure. At this point; I told the Controller we were cleared to turn right direct PDZ and track outbound on the PDZ 130 degree radial to intercept a radial inbound to OCN. He told me we 'never' turn right out of ONT and then recleared us direct PDZ Flight Plan Route. Then he asked us to call ATC upon landing in ZZZ. During my phone conversation with ATC; I reiterated that we received a PDC to turn right after takeoff direct to PDZ. ATC mentioned that that clearance would be for a takeoff from Runway 8R. I told him that our PDC does not specify a runway. He asked if I was sure that we were given a clearance to turn right. I assured him we were. He never mentioned whether there was a conflict with another aircraft. He said his concern was for terrain clearance. He said he would send a report up the chain and thanked me for calling. I am not a stranger to ONT and I know that we always turn left off of Runway 26L and right off of Runway 8R. But my departures had always been to the north or the east on the Pomona or PRADO SIDs. I had never flown to ZZZ from ONT. The clearance we received to track outbound on a radial to intercept another radial was new to me so I thought perhaps the right turn off of Runway 26L was related to this different clearance. I am also aware of the San Gabriel mountains to the north but was confident we could make the right turn safely. Looking back; I should have called Clearance and asked for a clarification. I suspected this clearance might be for a Runway 8R departure. Our flight plan said to expect Runway 8R yet ATIS was reporting Runway 26L for departure and we watched several aircraft take off from Runway 26L. I even queried Ground Control (before engine start) which runway we could expect. They confirmed it would be Runway 26L. So I accepted the clearance.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.