Narrative:

This is a classic case of 'familiarity breeds contempt' or 'complacency.' in 25 plus yrs every lga runway 13 departure I have flown has been either a whitestone or a maspeth climb. I have never flown a straight-out runway heading, although I knew it existed. Both the whitestone and maspeth begin with a 175 degree heading ( it used to be 170 degree) and either a left turn to follow the whitestone procedure or a right turn for the maspeth, depending upon traffic flow. Both first officer and I heard a left turn to 050 degree after the initial heading. I briefed it that way and we flew it that way -- what I missed was 'runway heading' and found that out when contacting departure control. They asked us about our initial heading and I came back '175 degrees.' 'oh, you're doing the whitestone climb -- that's not the way you were cleared -- weren't you cleared runway heading??' after being told to continue our left turn and after cleanup and subsequent climb, first officer and I began analyzing that turn of events. We found out: yes our airways clearance stated 'runway heading.' after takeoff that we had acknowledged it, flight engineer vaguely remembered hearing it on takeoff. I certainly didn't -- I wasn't programmed for it!! I heard what I wanted and expected to hear. Also, in retrospect, there is a corollary here -- and I can't, at this point, remember -- I know I've been caught before on it. If the tower issues a takeoff and then modifies (i.e., issues a heading change after the clearance, I have occasionally missed it. If, however, we modify the departure before issuing the takeoff clearance, I maintain there's a greater chance of 'hearing' it i.e. -- You are less likely to be caught up in engine spool-up, brake release, landing lights, checklist completion 'distrs.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLC FLIES SID WHEN CLRED RWY HDG. CTLR CATCHES ERROR.

Narrative: THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF 'FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT' OR 'COMPLACENCY.' IN 25 PLUS YRS EVERY LGA RWY 13 DEP I HAVE FLOWN HAS BEEN EITHER A WHITESTONE OR A MASPETH CLB. I HAVE NEVER FLOWN A STRAIGHT-OUT RWY HDG, ALTHOUGH I KNEW IT EXISTED. BOTH THE WHITESTONE AND MASPETH BEGIN WITH A 175 DEG HDG ( IT USED TO BE 170 DEG) AND EITHER A L TURN TO FOLLOW THE WHITESTONE PROC OR A R TURN FOR THE MASPETH, DEPENDING UPON TFC FLOW. BOTH FO AND I HEARD A L TURN TO 050 DEG AFTER THE INITIAL HDG. I BRIEFED IT THAT WAY AND WE FLEW IT THAT WAY -- WHAT I MISSED WAS 'RWY HDG' AND FOUND THAT OUT WHEN CONTACTING DEP CTL. THEY ASKED US ABOUT OUR INITIAL HDG AND I CAME BACK '175 DEGS.' 'OH, YOU'RE DOING THE WHITESTONE CLB -- THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU WERE CLRED -- WEREN'T YOU CLRED RWY HDG??' AFTER BEING TOLD TO CONTINUE OUR L TURN AND AFTER CLEANUP AND SUBSEQUENT CLB, FO AND I BEGAN ANALYZING THAT TURN OF EVENTS. WE FOUND OUT: YES OUR AIRWAYS CLRNC STATED 'RWY HDG.' AFTER TKOF THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED IT, FLT ENGINEER VAGUELY REMEMBERED HEARING IT ON TKOF. I CERTAINLY DIDN'T -- I WASN'T PROGRAMMED FOR IT!! I HEARD WHAT I WANTED AND EXPECTED TO HEAR. ALSO, IN RETROSPECT, THERE IS A COROLLARY HERE -- AND I CAN'T, AT THIS POINT, REMEMBER -- I KNOW I'VE BEEN CAUGHT BEFORE ON IT. IF THE TWR ISSUES A TKOF AND THEN MODIFIES (I.E., ISSUES A HDG CHANGE AFTER THE CLRNC, I HAVE OCCASIONALLY MISSED IT. IF, HOWEVER, WE MODIFY THE DEP BEFORE ISSUING THE TKOF CLRNC, I MAINTAIN THERE'S A GREATER CHANCE OF 'HEARING' IT I.E. -- YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE CAUGHT UP IN ENG SPOOL-UP, BRAKE RELEASE, LNDG LIGHTS, CHKLIST COMPLETION 'DISTRS.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.