A310 turns on course vice required 250 degree heading after takeoff at lax.

Attributes
ACN	712424
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	712424
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 415
ASRS Report	711963
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Company Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Our flight was from lax to bur. Our pre departure clearance clearance was 'lax LAXM1 bur; maintain 5000 ft.' while taxiing into position runway 25R; tower cleared us for takeoff. Tower did not give us a heading to maintain; so I assumed we were cleared to fly the LAXM1 routing; which was to turn right to intercept the lax 316 degree radial to 'silex.' therefore; once safely airborne; I began a r-hand turn to intercept the lax 316 degree radial. When we checked in with socal departure; the controller advised us that we should have maintained a 250 degree heading after takeoff. I was unable to find anything in our flight pubs which directed us to maintain a 250 degree heading when assigned the LAXM1 procedure. To prevent confusion in the future; I would like the LAXM1 routing to include a statement saying to maintain a 250 degree heading until told otherwise by ATC. Also; it would have been helpful if tower would have directed us to maintain a 250 degree heading when we were cleared for takeoff. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: we (the flight crew) had to search our manuals extensively to discover exactly what LAXM1 meant. It was not a SID listed under our lax aeronautical charts but rather in an en route portion of the manuals which listed common or 'canned' rtes for very short flts. When we received no independent assignment of a SID we interpreted the clearance to require a turn on course; ie; a right turn to intercept the lax 316 degree radial per the LAXM1 routing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A310 TURNS ON COURSE VICE REQUIRED 250 DEG HDG AFTER TKOF AT LAX.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS FROM LAX TO BUR. OUR PDC CLRNC WAS 'LAX LAXM1 BUR; MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' WHILE TAXIING INTO POS RWY 25R; TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. TWR DID NOT GIVE US A HDG TO MAINTAIN; SO I ASSUMED WE WERE CLRED TO FLY THE LAXM1 ROUTING; WHICH WAS TO TURN R TO INTERCEPT THE LAX 316 DEG RADIAL TO 'SILEX.' THEREFORE; ONCE SAFELY AIRBORNE; I BEGAN A R-HAND TURN TO INTERCEPT THE LAX 316 DEG RADIAL. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH SOCAL DEP; THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED A 250 DEG HDG AFTER TKOF. I WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING IN OUR FLT PUBS WHICH DIRECTED US TO MAINTAIN A 250 DEG HDG WHEN ASSIGNED THE LAXM1 PROC. TO PREVENT CONFUSION IN THE FUTURE; I WOULD LIKE THE LAXM1 ROUTING TO INCLUDE A STATEMENT SAYING TO MAINTAIN A 250 DEG HDG UNTIL TOLD OTHERWISE BY ATC. ALSO; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF TWR WOULD HAVE DIRECTED US TO MAINTAIN A 250 DEG HDG WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WE (THE FLT CREW) HAD TO SEARCH OUR MANUALS EXTENSIVELY TO DISCOVER EXACTLY WHAT LAXM1 MEANT. IT WAS NOT A SID LISTED UNDER OUR LAX AERO CHARTS BUT RATHER IN AN ENRTE PORTION OF THE MANUALS WHICH LISTED COMMON OR 'CANNED' RTES FOR VERY SHORT FLTS. WHEN WE RECEIVED NO INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENT OF A SID WE INTERPED THE CLRNC TO REQUIRE A TURN ON COURSE; IE; A R TURN TO INTERCEPT THE LAX 316 DEG RADIAL PER THE LAXM1 ROUTING.

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.