Narrative:

We received the following ambiguous clearance from kmci clearance delivery: cleared to atl, lakes 1 departure, razorback transition to butler (bum), springfield (sgf), walnut ridge (arg), memphis (mem) as filed. According to ground control the intent of this clearance was to send us over the following route: mkc/bum/sgf/arg/mem thus bypassing neosho (eos) and razorback (rzc). The wording of this clearance may be technically correct, but it allows for misinterp. If we had not questioned our routing we would have flown over both eos and rzc. The ground controller admitted that she had received numerous complaints over this and similar phraseology on other kmci sids, but that the wording was ATC directed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSING CLRNC PHRASEOLOGY INVITES A RTE DEV.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING AMBIGUOUS CLRNC FROM KMCI CLRNC DELIVERY: CLRED TO ATL, LAKES 1 DEP, RAZORBACK TRANSITION TO BUTLER (BUM), SPRINGFIELD (SGF), WALNUT RIDGE (ARG), MEMPHIS (MEM) AS FILED. ACCORDING TO GND CTL THE INTENT OF THIS CLRNC WAS TO SEND US OVER THE FOLLOWING RTE: MKC/BUM/SGF/ARG/MEM THUS BYPASSING NEOSHO (EOS) AND RAZORBACK (RZC). THE WORDING OF THIS CLRNC MAY BE TECHNICALLY CORRECT, BUT IT ALLOWS FOR MISINTERP. IF WE HAD NOT QUESTIONED OUR ROUTING WE WOULD HAVE FLOWN OVER BOTH EOS AND RZC. THE GND CTLR ADMITTED THAT SHE HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OVER THIS AND SIMILAR PHRASEOLOGY ON OTHER KMCI SIDS, BUT THAT THE WORDING WAS ATC DIRECTED.

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.