Narrative:

Departed dvt airport via IFR departure procedure, runway 25L and turned to a heading of 060 degrees. We passed 4000 ft going to 5000 ft about 1 mi prior to intercepting the pxr 336 degree radial. Since we passed 4000 ft and still on the protected side of the 336 degree radial (west), we turned right to go direct to pxr. We must have still been below phx radar because the controller asked our heading. I said we are now direct to pxr. He turned us north and asked why we were not on a 60 degree heading. I said we were above 4000 ft and heading to the VOR per the departure procedure. He seemed confused. Apparently he expected us to track northwest on the pxr 336 degree radial. But we were already above 4000 ft well prior to reaching the 336 degree radial. After reading the departure many times, I still feel that it is not well worded and is confusing. Not for lower performance aircraft but, when an aircraft can reach 4000 ft MSL well before intercepting the 336 degree radial, it is unclr that you must turn left. The departure assumes that you are already tracking northwest on the 336 degree radial prior to reaching 4000 ft. I think the departure should be rewritten.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: G4 ACFT DEPARTING ON PUBLISHED PROC. DEP CTLR ASKED HDG, ASSIGNED HDG AND ASKED WHY FLC WAS NOT ON 060 DEG HDG. BECAUSE THE PUBLISHED PROC IS CONFUSING THE FLC HAD COMMENCED TURN DIRECT PXR WHEN OUT OF 4000 FT.

Narrative: DEPARTED DVT ARPT VIA IFR DEP PROC, RWY 25L AND TURNED TO A HDG OF 060 DEGS. WE PASSED 4000 FT GOING TO 5000 FT ABOUT 1 MI PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING THE PXR 336 DEG RADIAL. SINCE WE PASSED 4000 FT AND STILL ON THE PROTECTED SIDE OF THE 336 DEG RADIAL (W), WE TURNED R TO GO DIRECT TO PXR. WE MUST HAVE STILL BEEN BELOW PHX RADAR BECAUSE THE CTLR ASKED OUR HDG. I SAID WE ARE NOW DIRECT TO PXR. HE TURNED US N AND ASKED WHY WE WERE NOT ON A 60 DEG HDG. I SAID WE WERE ABOVE 4000 FT AND HDG TO THE VOR PER THE DEP PROC. HE SEEMED CONFUSED. APPARENTLY HE EXPECTED US TO TRACK NW ON THE PXR 336 DEG RADIAL. BUT WE WERE ALREADY ABOVE 4000 FT WELL PRIOR TO REACHING THE 336 DEG RADIAL. AFTER READING THE DEP MANY TIMES, I STILL FEEL THAT IT IS NOT WELL WORDED AND IS CONFUSING. NOT FOR LOWER PERFORMANCE ACFT BUT, WHEN AN ACFT CAN REACH 4000 FT MSL WELL BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE 336 DEG RADIAL, IT IS UNCLR THAT YOU MUST TURN L. THE DEP ASSUMES THAT YOU ARE ALREADY TRACKING NW ON THE 336 DEG RADIAL PRIOR TO REACHING 4000 FT. I THINK THE DEP SHOULD BE REWRITTEN.

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.