Narrative:

This incident involved the IFR departure procedure for runway 25 at eagle, co. This is a very complex procedure and this is understandable due to the nature of the terrain and neighboring airports. I believe that a major factor contributing to the problem is in the way that the procedure is worded in particular the first sentence which states 'climb on a 215 degree heading to 13500 ft.' this is obviously simple enough but the complex part of the procedure follows this statement. This presents some confusion about exactly how the departure is to be flown. Essentially the confusion arises from the first sentence to the rest of the procedure, you read it and say 'do we climb on a 215 degree to 13500 ft? But what about all of this other stuff?' obviously the departure is designed to separate aircraft from each other and from the terrain. However, from a human factors standpoint I think the procedure needs to be worded differently, particularly that first sentence as described above. I have shown this to other pilots and they all expressed confusion over the procedure. Maybe something that would be of help in these sits (complex IFR departure procedures) would be to develop and publish some sort of graphic that would show the departure procedure as well as the underlying and adjacent terrain. This would be easier to follow than some small print on the back of the plate and I believe it would greatly enhance the situational awareness factor for the crew particularly during periods of high cockpit workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CANADAIR CHALLENGER, CL601, FAILED TO TURN AS SPECIFIED IN THE DEP FOR THE RWY USED AT THE EGE, CO, ARPT DURING CLBOUT RESULTING IN NO APPARENT CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT OR TERRAIN CLRNC.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVED THE IFR DEP PROC FOR RWY 25 AT EAGLE, CO. THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX PROC AND THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN AND NEIGHBORING ARPTS. I BELIEVE THAT A MAJOR FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROB IS IN THE WAY THAT THE PROC IS WORDED IN PARTICULAR THE FIRST SENTENCE WHICH STATES 'CLB ON A 215 DEG HDG TO 13500 FT.' THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SIMPLE ENOUGH BUT THE COMPLEX PART OF THE PROC FOLLOWS THIS STATEMENT. THIS PRESENTS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THE DEP IS TO BE FLOWN. ESSENTIALLY THE CONFUSION ARISES FROM THE FIRST SENTENCE TO THE REST OF THE PROC, YOU READ IT AND SAY 'DO WE CLB ON A 215 DEG TO 13500 FT? BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF?' OBVIOUSLY THE DEP IS DESIGNED TO SEPARATE ACFT FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THE TERRAIN. HOWEVER, FROM A HUMAN FACTORS STANDPOINT I THINK THE PROC NEEDS TO BE WORDED DIFFERENTLY, PARTICULARLY THAT FIRST SENTENCE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. I HAVE SHOWN THIS TO OTHER PLTS AND THEY ALL EXPRESSED CONFUSION OVER THE PROC. MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF HELP IN THESE SITS (COMPLEX IFR DEP PROCS) WOULD BE TO DEVELOP AND PUBLISH SOME SORT OF GRAPHIC THAT WOULD SHOW THE DEP PROC AS WELL AS THE UNDERLYING AND ADJACENT TERRAIN. THIS WOULD BE EASIER TO FOLLOW THAN SOME SMALL PRINT ON THE BACK OF THE PLATE AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FACTOR FOR THE CREW PARTICULARLY DURING PERIODS OF HIGH COCKPIT WORKLOAD.

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.