Narrative:

We were cleared the worth 4 departure abilene transition by clearance delivery. Both myself and the PNF interpreted the SID depiction and description to mean fly a 170 degree heading until intercepting the 248 degree radial off of dfw VOR, after which the 259 degree course inbound to millsap (mqp). As we started the turn to intercept the 248 degree radial off of dfw approach called and asked our heading. We replied that we were turning to intercept and approach told us to return to a 170 degree heading. On level off we realized that we had misinterpreted the SID's instructions. I believe that the SID could be made clearer especially in the diagram by dropping the depiction of the 248 degree from dfw. This depiction serves no purpose as flts will be assigned a heading to intercept the 259 degree inbound to mqp. Also, I believe the small circled 'a' departing south and 'C' departing north which appear at the end of the 3 170 degree heading (south) lines are unnecessary and could add to the confusion. Also the flight departing ahead of us was confused as to which departure frequency to use and the tower answered that this was a common area of confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ON THE WORTH 4 DFW SID TURNS OFF COURSE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT REALIZE THAT THEY WOULD BE VECTORED TO THE NEXT FIX DUE TO AERO CHART PRESENTATION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED THE WORTH 4 DEP ABILENE TRANSITION BY CLRNC DELIVERY. BOTH MYSELF AND THE PNF INTERPRETED THE SID DEPICTION AND DESCRIPTION TO MEAN FLY A 170 DEG HDG UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE 248 DEG RADIAL OFF OF DFW VOR, AFTER WHICH THE 259 DEG COURSE INBND TO MILLSAP (MQP). AS WE STARTED THE TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 248 DEG RADIAL OFF OF DFW APCH CALLED AND ASKED OUR HDG. WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE TURNING TO INTERCEPT AND APCH TOLD US TO RETURN TO A 170 DEG HDG. ON LEVEL OFF WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD MISINTERPRETED THE SID'S INSTRUCTIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THE SID COULD BE MADE CLEARER ESPECIALLY IN THE DIAGRAM BY DROPPING THE DEPICTION OF THE 248 DEG FROM DFW. THIS DEPICTION SERVES NO PURPOSE AS FLTS WILL BE ASSIGNED A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 259 DEG INBND TO MQP. ALSO, I BELIEVE THE SMALL CIRCLED 'A' DEPARTING SOUTH AND 'C' DEPARTING NORTH WHICH APPEAR AT THE END OF THE 3 170 DEG HDG (SOUTH) LINES ARE UNNECESSARY AND COULD ADD TO THE CONFUSION. ALSO THE FLT DEPARTING AHEAD OF US WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHICH DEP FREQ TO USE AND THE TWR ANSWERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON AREA OF CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.