Narrative:

On may/fri/05 at approximately XA00 we received an IFR clearance for a flight between atl and phl. The first officer copied; read back; and put the clearance into the FMS. (Phl runway 27; dawgs 1 departure; spa as filed); while I was doing weight and balance; preflight; loading bags and passenger. During taxi; I asked him to read me the clearance fixes in order for me to check them with the FMS. No problem; all fixes were in correctly. Then I asked him to read me the departure for runway 27R and he did. All fixes were in the FMS. After we received the position and hold runway 27R; I asked him again to read me the departure clearance; which he did; and everything coincided with the last readback. After takeoff; I followed what was programmed in the FMS and turned right instead of turning left. Apparently; the first officer had programmed the FMS with runway 26R and every time I asked him to read back the departure; he was reading runway 26R departure. If my memory serves me right; I asked him 4 times to read me the departure clearance; and every time he read me the clearance for runway 26R thinking he was reading runway 27R. TRACON told me that this was a safety issue because they had more than 30 deviations on this departure in the last 1 1/2 weeks. After reviewing the departure diagram; I could see how somebody could make a mistake. The diagram is very; very small and all 4 runways look like 2 (left&right) and on top they got the some initial heading of 272 degrees. It appears that lots of pilots look at pictures instead of reading the instruction next to the pictures. If you would change the initial heading for runway 26 to 269 degrees and runway 27 to 272 degrees; you would have solved 1/2 the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LR35 FLT CREW TURNS IN WRONG DIRECTION OFF ATL ON DAWGS 1 DEP (RNAV) WHEN PNF PROGRAMS INCORRECT DEP RWY.

Narrative: ON MAY/FRI/05 AT APPROX XA00 WE RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC FOR A FLT BTWN ATL AND PHL. THE FO COPIED; READ BACK; AND PUT THE CLRNC INTO THE FMS. (PHL RWY 27; DAWGS 1 DEP; SPA AS FILED); WHILE I WAS DOING WT AND BAL; PREFLT; LOADING BAGS AND PAX. DURING TAXI; I ASKED HIM TO READ ME THE CLRNC FIXES IN ORDER FOR ME TO CHK THEM WITH THE FMS. NO PROB; ALL FIXES WERE IN CORRECTLY. THEN I ASKED HIM TO READ ME THE DEP FOR RWY 27R AND HE DID. ALL FIXES WERE IN THE FMS. AFTER WE RECEIVED THE POS AND HOLD RWY 27R; I ASKED HIM AGAIN TO READ ME THE DEP CLRNC; WHICH HE DID; AND EVERYTHING COINCIDED WITH THE LAST READBACK. AFTER TKOF; I FOLLOWED WHAT WAS PROGRAMMED IN THE FMS AND TURNED R INSTEAD OF TURNING L. APPARENTLY; THE FO HAD PROGRAMMED THE FMS WITH RWY 26R AND EVERY TIME I ASKED HIM TO READ BACK THE DEP; HE WAS READING RWY 26R DEP. IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT; I ASKED HIM 4 TIMES TO READ ME THE DEP CLRNC; AND EVERY TIME HE READ ME THE CLRNC FOR RWY 26R THINKING HE WAS READING RWY 27R. TRACON TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY HAD MORE THAN 30 DEVS ON THIS DEP IN THE LAST 1 1/2 WKS. AFTER REVIEWING THE DEP DIAGRAM; I COULD SEE HOW SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A MISTAKE. THE DIAGRAM IS VERY; VERY SMALL AND ALL 4 RWYS LOOK LIKE 2 (L&R) AND ON TOP THEY GOT THE SOME INITIAL HDG OF 272 DEGS. IT APPEARS THAT LOTS OF PLTS LOOK AT PICTURES INSTEAD OF READING THE INSTRUCTION NEXT TO THE PICTURES. IF YOU WOULD CHANGE THE INITIAL HDG FOR RWY 26 TO 269 DEGS AND RWY 27 TO 272 DEGS; YOU WOULD HAVE SOLVED 1/2 THE PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.