Non adherence to ATC clearance on departure. Heading track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	314790
Time
Date	199508
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	314790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The south 1500 ft of runway 3C was closed and we were cleared into position and hold with a short back taxi. I was giving a new first officer his IOE and we were discussing the takeoff that he was going to make. As I was making a 180 degree turn to align with the runway, we were given takeoff clearance which the first officer acknowledged. I briefed 'runway heading, 10000 ft' and gave the aircraft to the first officer, who made a normal takeoff. I checked in with departure control and he turned us to 120 degrees and made no comment. The aircraft that departed behind us checked in and departure control asked him why he had not turned to 050 degrees as instructed by the tower. I have departed the runway many times and it dawned on me that a 050 degree heading after departure is normal. I don't know if we missed the instruction or if the tower failed to give it to us. In the future, if something unusual is going on as we receive a takeoff clearance, I will ask for clarification.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC ON DEP. HDG TRACK DEV.

Narrative: THE S 1500 FT OF RWY 3C WAS CLOSED AND WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD WITH A SHORT BACK TAXI. I WAS GIVING A NEW FO HIS IOE AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THE TKOF THAT HE WAS GOING TO MAKE. AS I WAS MAKING A 180 DEG TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE RWY, WE WERE GIVEN TKOF CLRNC WHICH THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED. I BRIEFED 'RWY HDG, 10000 FT' AND GAVE THE ACFT TO THE FO, WHO MADE A NORMAL TKOF. I CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL AND HE TURNED US TO 120 DEGS AND MADE NO COMMENT. THE ACFT THAT DEPARTED BEHIND US CHKED IN AND DEP CTL ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD NOT TURNED TO 050 DEGS AS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR. I HAVE DEPARTED THE RWY MANY TIMES AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT A 050 DEG HDG AFTER DEP IS NORMAL. I DON'T KNOW IF WE MISSED THE INSTRUCTION OR IF THE TWR FAILED TO GIVE IT TO US. IN THE FUTURE, IF SOMETHING UNUSUAL IS GOING ON AS WE RECEIVE A TKOF CLRNC, I WILL ASK FOR CLARIFICATION.

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.