Narrative:

My company flies cargo in and out of ZZZ. During this particular incident, we were cleared the departure as filed, maintain 5000 ft. Departure consists of radar vectors on departure to the flight planned route. On this particular departure, our first fix on the flight plan was the 1ST VOR. On departure, we received an initial heading of 250 degrees. As we were 'cleaning up the aircraft' (critical phase of flight), the departure controller cleared us to the 2ND VOR (off our flight plan). At that time, the first officer began scrambling for the map as I, the captain, operated the controls, the gear, and the flaps. Once I stabilized the aircraft in the climb, I personally got on the radio and told the controller that we could not accept his clearance because it was not on our flight planned route. The controller then came back sarcastically and replied, 'ok, then cleared 2ND, direct 3RD,' with 3RD putting us back on our flight plan. As we turned into a 30 degree bank towards 2ND (which the first officer finally found on the map) the controller came back on the radio and said, 'cleared direct 3RD' (a point which we had already passed by 40 degrees on our HSI as we were turning direct to 2ND), causing us once again to reverse course during a critical phase of flight. Several capts have noticed that this type of ATC instruction has become common place during the past several months at the ZZZ airport. An aircraft takes off, is in a 30 degree bank turn to an assigned heading in IMC, while simultaneously 'cleaning up,' ATC clears you to a fix which is completely of your flight planned route, or at least is unexpected during that phase of flight. This is becoming quite frequent and dangerous. If ATC wants to clear you to a specific fix, they should tell you prior to takeoff and not as the gear handle is coming up and the aircraft is turning into a 30 degree bank to an assigned heading. The situation is becoming dangerous. Please let the ZZZ controllers know the complexities an aircrew has to deal with during this phase of flight before something bad happens.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200 CREW WAS GIVEN CLRNC OFF THEIR FILED RTE. THE CAPT REFUSED THE CLRNC, AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO A POINT BEHIND THEM.

Narrative: MY COMPANY FLIES CARGO IN AND OUT OF ZZZ. DURING THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, WE WERE CLRED THE DEP AS FILED, MAINTAIN 5000 FT. DEP CONSISTS OF RADAR VECTORS ON DEP TO THE FLT PLANNED RTE. ON THIS PARTICULAR DEP, OUR FIRST FIX ON THE FLT PLAN WAS THE 1ST VOR. ON DEP, WE RECEIVED AN INITIAL HDG OF 250 DEGS. AS WE WERE 'CLEANING UP THE ACFT' (CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT), THE DEP CTLR CLRED US TO THE 2ND VOR (OFF OUR FLT PLAN). AT THAT TIME, THE FO BEGAN SCRAMBLING FOR THE MAP AS I, THE CAPT, OPERATED THE CTLS, THE GEAR, AND THE FLAPS. ONCE I STABILIZED THE ACFT IN THE CLB, I PERSONALLY GOT ON THE RADIO AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT HIS CLRNC BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON OUR FLT PLANNED RTE. THE CTLR THEN CAME BACK SARCASTICALLY AND REPLIED, 'OK, THEN CLRED 2ND, DIRECT 3RD,' WITH 3RD PUTTING US BACK ON OUR FLT PLAN. AS WE TURNED INTO A 30 DEG BANK TOWARDS 2ND (WHICH THE FO FINALLY FOUND ON THE MAP) THE CTLR CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AND SAID, 'CLRED DIRECT 3RD' (A POINT WHICH WE HAD ALREADY PASSED BY 40 DEGS ON OUR HSI AS WE WERE TURNING DIRECT TO 2ND), CAUSING US ONCE AGAIN TO REVERSE COURSE DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. SEVERAL CAPTS HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS TYPE OF ATC INSTRUCTION HAS BECOME COMMON PLACE DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AT THE ZZZ ARPT. AN ACFT TAKES OFF, IS IN A 30 DEG BANK TURN TO AN ASSIGNED HDG IN IMC, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY 'CLEANING UP,' ATC CLRS YOU TO A FIX WHICH IS COMPLETELY OF YOUR FLT PLANNED RTE, OR AT LEAST IS UNEXPECTED DURING THAT PHASE OF FLT. THIS IS BECOMING QUITE FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS. IF ATC WANTS TO CLR YOU TO A SPECIFIC FIX, THEY SHOULD TELL YOU PRIOR TO TKOF AND NOT AS THE GEAR HANDLE IS COMING UP AND THE ACFT IS TURNING INTO A 30 DEG BANK TO AN ASSIGNED HDG. THE SIT IS BECOMING DANGEROUS. PLEASE LET THE ZZZ CTLRS KNOW THE COMPLEXITIES AN AIRCREW HAS TO DEAL WITH DURING THIS PHASE OF FLT BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.

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.