Narrative:

The SID for the lga runway 13 departure (whitestone climb) was changed recently (sep 96) and the verbiage is very confusing. We believe it should be changed to the following; turn right climb on heading 175 degrees until lga 2.5 DME fix, then turn left to 040 degree heading. Do not exceed 210 KTS until crossing lga 130 degree radial (if unable, advise ATC) maintain 5000 ft thence...the way it's currently written can easily mislead a crew to delay turning left to 040 degrees until passing the lga 130 degree radial instead of the 2.5 DME fix. This happened to us on this departure. On a heading of 175 degrees, and shortly after passing the 2.5 fix, the departure controller asked what departure (climb) we were given, and changed our climb limit from 12000 ft to 5000 ft. He was helpful and gave us a left turnout suggesting we review the SID. En route we did so and concluded the confusion could be eliminated by changing the verbiage as noted above. Since at lga the departure climb is not given until receiving the pre departure clearance, and this happens, sometimes, very close to push back time, review of the SID is very brief. Doing whatever is necessary to eliminate confusion on the departure (in the most crowded airspace in the country) is essential to safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SID WORDING SEQUENCE LED FLC TO DEV FROM PRINTED SID INSTRUCTIONS. CHANGING WORD SEQUENCE WOULD IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING.

Narrative: THE SID FOR THE LGA RWY 13 DEP (WHITESTONE CLB) WAS CHANGED RECENTLY (SEP 96) AND THE VERBIAGE IS VERY CONFUSING. WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE CHANGED TO THE FOLLOWING; TURN R CLB ON HDG 175 DEGS UNTIL LGA 2.5 DME FIX, THEN TURN L TO 040 DEG HDG. DO NOT EXCEED 210 KTS UNTIL XING LGA 130 DEG RADIAL (IF UNABLE, ADVISE ATC) MAINTAIN 5000 FT THENCE...THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN CAN EASILY MISLEAD A CREW TO DELAY TURNING L TO 040 DEGS UNTIL PASSING THE LGA 130 DEG RADIAL INSTEAD OF THE 2.5 DME FIX. THIS HAPPENED TO US ON THIS DEP. ON A HDG OF 175 DEGS, AND SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THE 2.5 FIX, THE DEP CTLR ASKED WHAT DEP (CLB) WE WERE GIVEN, AND CHANGED OUR CLB LIMIT FROM 12000 FT TO 5000 FT. HE WAS HELPFUL AND GAVE US A L TURNOUT SUGGESTING WE REVIEW THE SID. ENRTE WE DID SO AND CONCLUDED THE CONFUSION COULD BE ELIMINATED BY CHANGING THE VERBIAGE AS NOTED ABOVE. SINCE AT LGA THE DEP CLB IS NOT GIVEN UNTIL RECEIVING THE PDC, AND THIS HAPPENS, SOMETIMES, VERY CLOSE TO PUSH BACK TIME, REVIEW OF THE SID IS VERY BRIEF. DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE CONFUSION ON THE DEP (IN THE MOST CROWDED AIRSPACE IN THE COUNTRY) IS ESSENTIAL TO SAFETY.

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.