Narrative:

We were given the kingsley 3 departure. On the govt departure plate the lost communication procedure is depicted -- not the normal procedure. When you read the plate; the normal procedure is climb runway heading. The lost communication procedure is turn back toward the airport. We took off and I started a turn back to the airport when ATC informed me to stay on runway heading; which I did. The chart should first and foremost depict the standard/normal departure procedure. Then it should somehow depict using different lines the lost communication procedure. My first fix was klamath falls VOR right at the airport. Without reading the procedure and just looking at what is depicted; the lost communication procedure looks normal. Should you read the whole chart absolutely; but the first thing you look at is the big picture which is the drawing then your mind is already in that mindset that you turn toward the airport so that is what you are going to read and think is normal. We never made a complete 180 degree turn and corrected quickly. We were informed what we did happens often. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised she had been trained utilizing commercial IFR charts and her previous job with an air carrier used the commercial versions exclusively. Her brief exposure to the govt versions at her new employer had failed to alert her to the difference in presentation between the government produced charts and the commercial variety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B350 PLT FLIES LOST COM DEP PROC FROM LMT VICE RWY HDG AS DIRECTED BY KINGSLEY SID.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN THE KINGSLEY 3 DEP. ON THE GOVT DEP PLATE THE LOST COM PROC IS DEPICTED -- NOT THE NORMAL PROC. WHEN YOU READ THE PLATE; THE NORMAL PROC IS CLB RWY HDG. THE LOST COM PROC IS TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. WE TOOK OFF AND I STARTED A TURN BACK TO THE ARPT WHEN ATC INFORMED ME TO STAY ON RWY HDG; WHICH I DID. THE CHART SHOULD FIRST AND FOREMOST DEPICT THE STANDARD/NORMAL DEP PROC. THEN IT SHOULD SOMEHOW DEPICT USING DIFFERENT LINES THE LOST COM PROC. MY FIRST FIX WAS KLAMATH FALLS VOR RIGHT AT THE ARPT. WITHOUT READING THE PROC AND JUST LOOKING AT WHAT IS DEPICTED; THE LOST COM PROC LOOKS NORMAL. SHOULD YOU READ THE WHOLE CHART ABSOLUTELY; BUT THE FIRST THING YOU LOOK AT IS THE BIG PICTURE WHICH IS THE DRAWING THEN YOUR MIND IS ALREADY IN THAT MINDSET THAT YOU TURN TOWARD THE ARPT SO THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO READ AND THINK IS NORMAL. WE NEVER MADE A COMPLETE 180 DEG TURN AND CORRECTED QUICKLY. WE WERE INFORMED WHAT WE DID HAPPENS OFTEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED SHE HAD BEEN TRAINED UTILIZING COMMERCIAL IFR CHARTS AND HER PREVIOUS JOB WITH AN ACR USED THE COMMERCIAL VERSIONS EXCLUSIVELY. HER BRIEF EXPOSURE TO THE GOVT VERSIONS AT HER NEW EMPLOYER HAD FAILED TO ALERT HER TO THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESENTATION BTWN THE GOV PRODUCED CHARTS AND THE COMMERCIAL VARIETY.

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.