Narrative:

I was working malibu radar when aircraft X was rundown as a crossover casta departure. I observed the aircraft depart from the south complex; the aircraft checked in on frequency; and I advised aircraft X of radar contact. I then observed the aircraft start a turn to the right; whereas; the aircraft should have continued straight ahead. I verified with aircraft X that they were assigned the casta departure; and they replied in the affirmative. After I verified that the aircraft was flying the casta departure; I was confident that I knew what was happening. Since there were no conflicting aircraft which required immediate action on my part; I let the aircraft fly without intervention. Instead of continuing to evose way point as it should have; the aircraft had started a turn to the right to fly by enney way point instead. Once it had passed enney; it turned back to the west southwest; and tracked on a 251 degree track to naanc way point as if it had departed the north complex. If there had been a turboprop departing simultaneously from the north complex; absent intervention by the departure controller; there would have been a loss of separation. If this had happened during a busy period with numerous distractions; this turn could have been easily missed; and the aircraft would have converged with traffic departing the north complex. I believe that the aircrew of aircraft X selected the wrong departure runway in the FMS; either runway 25R or runway 25L instead of runway 24L or runway 24R. Recommendation; if I am correct; that the cause of this immediate turn after departure was an incorrect runway selection in the FMS; then this incident is just one more example of why I believe that all departures from lax should be on a radar vectors. After working with RNAV departures for the last twelve years at sct; I have come to the conclusion that the initial leg of all RNAV departures out of lax should be a radar vector to an initial departure fix (idf); as outlined in FAA order 8260.53. Using these procedures (a radar vector) would alleviate numerous issues that we experience in the control room; and would enhance safety. Incidents like this will continue until the FAA re-designs the departure procedures from lax. Also; when RNAV departures were first implemented at lax; local control would verify the first way point with each departure to ensure that this exact scenario would not happen. I don't know the complete history of this; but I believe that this practice has been discontinued. In the absence of using initial vectors; verifying first way point may not be a bad idea.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT Controller described a pilot track deviation when departing the LAX South complex on the CASTA2 RNAV departure navigated as though they were departing from the North complex.

Narrative: I was working Malibu RADAR when Aircraft X was rundown as a crossover CASTA departure. I observed the aircraft depart from the South complex; the aircraft checked in on frequency; and I advised Aircraft X of RADAR Contact. I then observed the aircraft start a turn to the right; whereas; the aircraft should have continued straight ahead. I verified with Aircraft X that they were assigned the CASTA departure; and they replied in the affirmative. After I verified that the aircraft was flying the CASTA departure; I was confident that I knew what was happening. Since there were no conflicting aircraft which required immediate action on my part; I let the aircraft fly without intervention. Instead of continuing to EVOSE way point as it should have; the aircraft had started a turn to the right to fly by ENNEY way point instead. Once it had passed ENNEY; it turned back to the west southwest; and tracked on a 251 degree track to NAANC way point as if it had departed the north complex. If there had been a turboprop departing simultaneously from the north complex; absent intervention by the Departure Controller; there would have been a loss of separation. If this had happened during a busy period with numerous distractions; this turn could have been easily missed; and the aircraft would have converged with traffic departing the north complex. I believe that the aircrew of Aircraft X selected the wrong departure runway in the FMS; either Runway 25R or Runway 25L instead of Runway 24L or Runway 24R. Recommendation; if I am correct; that the cause of this immediate turn after departure was an incorrect runway selection in the FMS; then this incident is just one more example of why I believe that all departures from LAX should be on a RADAR Vectors. After working with RNAV departures for the last twelve years at SCT; I have come to the conclusion that the initial leg of all RNAV Departures out of LAX should be a RADAR Vector to an Initial Departure Fix (IDF); as outlined in FAA Order 8260.53. Using these procedures (a RADAR Vector) would alleviate numerous issues that we experience in the control room; and would enhance safety. Incidents like this will continue until the FAA re-designs the departure procedures from LAX. Also; when RNAV departures were first implemented at LAX; Local Control would verify the first way point with each departure to ensure that this exact scenario would not happen. I don't know the complete history of this; but I believe that this practice has been discontinued. In the absence of using initial vectors; verifying first way point may not be a bad idea.

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.