Narrative:

I am submitting this report primarily as a awareness and teaching lesson for our training department and other flight crews. This was my first departure out of dca and my first officer's as well. We received our pre departure clearance via ACARS and the clearance was from dca to the first fix and on from there. The clearance did not list a departure procedure. The first officer and I discussed the clearance and departure; noting the caution on page 3 of our dca airport directory; 'when departing to the north; it is imperative to start turns as quickly as practicable (especially with a west wind present) in order to avoid the prohibited areas north of the field. It was a VFR day and we were under radar contact so we briefed it would be a 'speed mode-heading' departure and to anticipate ATC giving us a turn to the west. We were cleared for takeoff on runway 1 without being given a heading. At that point I should have requested one from tower but I assumed it was just runway heading. While we had been waiting to takeoff everyone in front of us had left being cleared to takeoff without a heading or RNAV fix so I assumed departure was giving everyone the left turn we saw them making over the river. So we took off and climbed out on the runway heading. We were over the potomac when we were handed off to departure and; on initial contact; they issued us a heading to intercept the dca 328 degree radial. We turned to the assigned heading but I asked about the radial because it was not listed in our clearance or a part of our flight plan. That caused me a bit of initial confusion and when I queried ATC they left us on an assigned heading until clearing us directly to a fix on our flight planned route. The next morning we were back in dca but this time we were unable to get our pre departure clearance via ACARS. When we called for our clearance on the radio the controller specifically said to comply with the noise abatement and prohibited area P-56 avoidance procedures. So we looked those up on the 10-4 and 10-4A pages and; for our departure to the northwest; saw the specific guidance about following the potomac river to 4 DME then join the dca 328 degree radial. Thanks to getting our clearance over the radio and the controller telling us what procedure to follow we knew exactly what was expected of us this time. Our possible deviation into prohibited area P-56 and failure to follow the expected departure procedure was due to a lack of our familiarity with dca; a clearance via ACARS that made no mention of the departure procedure; and the procedure itself being listed under a noise abatement procedure rather than as a departure. I did not pay attention to the obstacle departure 10-9A since it was day VFR and we were under radar contact. We reviewed our engine failure procedures via the release and ACARS; but it wasn't pertinent to our plan unless we lost an engine and regardless; it didn't contain any reference to the procedure we were expected to follow. Nor do our airport qualification pages 19-02 or 19-03 specifically for runway 1 mention the expected departure procedure. Our airport directory mentions the prohibited areas and the necessity of a quick left turn; but it doesn't reference the procedure on 10-4A either. And though I had great initial operating experience (IOE) instructors and I'm sure my first office did too; neither of us had been briefed about dca procedures. This event would not have occurred if our pre departure clearance had referenced compliance with the noise abatement and prohibited area avoidance procedures; if either of us had received specific training on dca operations; the airport directory included a reference to page 10-4A; or the procedure was part of an actual departure. Normally in radar contact; in controlled airspace; and in communication with ATC I assume their vectors will keep me in compliance with airspace restrictions. Without being issued a specific departure I assumed that was the case this time too.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier flight crew departed DCA Runway 1 for the very first time and did not immediately turn to the 328 Radial because neither the PDC nor ATC clearances directed that the noise abatement procedure be followed in order to avoid P56.

Narrative: I am submitting this report primarily as a awareness and teaching lesson for our Training Department and other flight crews. This was my first departure out of DCA and my First Officer's as well. We received our PDC via ACARS and the clearance was from DCA to the first fix and on from there. The clearance did not list a departure procedure. The First Officer and I discussed the clearance and departure; noting the caution on page 3 of our DCA airport directory; 'When departing to the north; it is imperative to start turns as quickly as practicable (especially with a west wind present) in order to avoid the prohibited areas north of the field. It was a VFR day and we were under radar contact so we briefed it would be a 'speed mode-heading' departure and to anticipate ATC giving us a turn to the west. We were cleared for takeoff on Runway 1 without being given a heading. At that point I should have requested one from Tower but I assumed it was just runway heading. While we had been waiting to takeoff everyone in front of us had left being cleared to takeoff without a heading or RNAV fix so I assumed Departure was giving everyone the left turn we saw them making over the river. So we took off and climbed out on the runway heading. We were over the Potomac when we were handed off to Departure and; on initial contact; they issued us a heading to intercept the DCA 328 degree radial. We turned to the assigned heading but I asked about the radial because it was not listed in our clearance or a part of our flight plan. That caused me a bit of initial confusion and when I queried ATC they left us on an assigned heading until clearing us directly to a fix on our flight planned route. The next morning we were back in DCA but this time we were unable to get our PDC via ACARS. When we called for our clearance on the radio the Controller specifically said to comply with the noise abatement and prohibited area P-56 avoidance procedures. So we looked those up on the 10-4 and 10-4A pages and; for our departure to the northwest; saw the specific guidance about following the Potomac River to 4 DME then join the DCA 328 degree radial. Thanks to getting our clearance over the radio and the Controller telling us what procedure to follow we knew exactly what was expected of us this time. Our possible deviation into prohibited area P-56 and failure to follow the expected departure procedure was due to a lack of our familiarity with DCA; a clearance via ACARS that made no mention of the departure procedure; and the procedure itself being listed under a noise abatement procedure rather than as a departure. I did not pay attention to the obstacle departure 10-9A since it was day VFR and we were under radar contact. We reviewed our engine failure procedures via the release and ACARS; but it wasn't pertinent to our plan unless we lost an engine and regardless; it didn't contain any reference to the procedure we were expected to follow. Nor do our airport qualification pages 19-02 or 19-03 specifically for Runway 1 mention the expected departure procedure. Our airport directory mentions the prohibited areas and the necessity of a quick left turn; but it doesn't reference the procedure on 10-4A either. And though I had great Initial Operating Experience (IOE) instructors and I'm sure my First Office did too; neither of us had been briefed about DCA procedures. This event would not have occurred if our PDC had referenced compliance with the noise abatement and prohibited area avoidance procedures; if either of us had received specific training on DCA operations; the airport directory included a reference to page 10-4A; or the procedure was part of an actual departure. Normally in radar contact; in controlled airspace; and in communication with ATC I assume their vectors will keep me in compliance with airspace restrictions. Without being issued a specific departure I assumed that was the case this time too.

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.