Narrative:

Received a pre departure clearance that was ambiguous. The routing that was given could have taken us into the mountains east of salt lake city. We were given the salt lake 8 (TCH8.tch) departure, maintain 10000 ft. The route of flight was as filed except '-- tch 094, mtu 303, mtu. Dbl --' it could be interpreted that, when crossing TCA VOR, proceed outbound on the 094 degree radial to intercept the mtu 303 degree radial inbound to mtu VOR, then direct dbl VOR. What would have been better would be -- vectors to 'tch 094, mtu 303.mtu.dbl --' so, it would be very clear that departure control would vector us to the tch 094 when they wanted us there. As it was, the first officer started his turn at the VOR to intercept the 094 degree radial, and was through approximately 30 degree turn before the error was caught. We were still within a mi of the VOR when I took control of the airplane and turned back to the heading on the SID. Supplemental information from acn 579376: we expected, and received, takeoff clearance on runway 34R, which states 'fly 340 degree heading or as assigned.' later the procedure says to expect vectors to assigned route or fix. I thought the intention was for us to fly 340 degree heading until reaching tch, then turn right to intercept the tch 094 degree radial, about 2 mins after takeoff roll began. Slc departure called us after I turned 30-40 degrees and told us to make an immediate right turn to 330 degrees. I missed this first call, but heard it repeated as the captain took the airplane and made the turn left as directed. I found the pre-departure clearance misleading as printed. This was my first time into slc, and the captain's second. It was the first time either of us took off to the north there.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 FO DID NOT FLY HDG 340 DEGS AS STIPULATED ON THE SID.

Narrative: RECEIVED A PDC THAT WAS AMBIGUOUS. THE ROUTING THAT WAS GIVEN COULD HAVE TAKEN US INTO THE MOUNTAINS E OF SALT LAKE CITY. WE WERE GIVEN THE SALT LAKE 8 (TCH8.TCH) DEP, MAINTAIN 10000 FT. THE RTE OF FLT WAS AS FILED EXCEPT '-- TCH 094, MTU 303, MTU. DBL --' IT COULD BE INTERPRETED THAT, WHEN XING TCA VOR, PROCEED OUTBOUND ON THE 094 DEG RADIAL TO INTERCEPT THE MTU 303 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO MTU VOR, THEN DIRECT DBL VOR. WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER WOULD BE -- VECTORS TO 'TCH 094, MTU 303.MTU.DBL --' SO, IT WOULD BE VERY CLR THAT DEP CTL WOULD VECTOR US TO THE TCH 094 WHEN THEY WANTED US THERE. AS IT WAS, THE FO STARTED HIS TURN AT THE VOR TO INTERCEPT THE 094 DEG RADIAL, AND WAS THROUGH APPROX 30 DEG TURN BEFORE THE ERROR WAS CAUGHT. WE WERE STILL WITHIN A MI OF THE VOR WHEN I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE AND TURNED BACK TO THE HDG ON THE SID. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 579376: WE EXPECTED, AND RECEIVED, TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 34R, WHICH STATES 'FLY 340 DEG HDG OR AS ASSIGNED.' LATER THE PROC SAYS TO EXPECT VECTORS TO ASSIGNED RTE OR FIX. I THOUGHT THE INTENTION WAS FOR US TO FLY 340 DEG HDG UNTIL REACHING TCH, THEN TURN R TO INTERCEPT THE TCH 094 DEG RADIAL, ABOUT 2 MINS AFTER TKOF ROLL BEGAN. SLC DEP CALLED US AFTER I TURNED 30-40 DEGS AND TOLD US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 330 DEGS. I MISSED THIS FIRST CALL, BUT HEARD IT REPEATED AS THE CAPT TOOK THE AIRPLANE AND MADE THE TURN L AS DIRECTED. I FOUND THE PRE-DEP CLRNC MISLEADING AS PRINTED. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME INTO SLC, AND THE CAPT'S SECOND. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME EITHER OF US TOOK OFF TO THE N THERE.

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.