Narrative:

From st thomas to miami, clearance gave us the palco 5 departure direct to borinquen, climb to 3000 ft, expect FL350. After takeoff in a right turn to 3000 ft, we were switched to ZSU. Her instructions were to climb to 9000 ft, left turn at 3000 ft to heading 320 degrees. The palco 5 departure on runway 10 requires a right turn to 250 degrees and then 293 to palco. We were heading 270 degrees when we passed 3000 ft and assumed she meant a right turn for 320 degrees. She stopped our climb at 5000 ft to avoid traffic. Our climb was delayed for traffic. A better departure instruction would have been to stop right turn at 180 degree heading and climb to 3000 ft, then turn left to 320 degrees.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV ON DEP FROM ST THOMAS WHEN CLRNC IS NOT CLR.

Narrative: FROM ST THOMAS TO MIAMI, CLRNC GAVE US THE PALCO 5 DEP DIRECT TO BORINQUEN, CLB TO 3000 FT, EXPECT FL350. AFTER TKOF IN A R TURN TO 3000 FT, WE WERE SWITCHED TO ZSU. HER INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO CLB TO 9000 FT, L TURN AT 3000 FT TO HDG 320 DEGS. THE PALCO 5 DEP ON RWY 10 REQUIRES A R TURN TO 250 DEGS AND THEN 293 TO PALCO. WE WERE HDG 270 DEGS WHEN WE PASSED 3000 FT AND ASSUMED SHE MEANT A R TURN FOR 320 DEGS. SHE STOPPED OUR CLB AT 5000 FT TO AVOID TFC. OUR CLB WAS DELAYED FOR TFC. A BETTER DEP INSTRUCTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO STOP R TURN AT 180 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 3000 FT, THEN TURN L TO 320 DEGS.

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.