Narrative:

After departure from las on runway 25R during the execution of the staav 3 departure the FMS with autoplt coupled; failed to make the turn at leeln (fix) to a 332 degree heading; the point (leeln) at which we should have departed from 2680 ft MSL to be at 5000 ft MSL or above at tomis (fix). The PF not being that familiar with this departure did not catch the turn error right away; thus still at 2680-2700 ft MSL; caused the GPWS to activate; the visibility was excellent so terrain avoidance was not a problem (we had the raising terrain in sight). At this time ATC called with a right turn to 032 degrees and climb clearance to FL190; and asked why we did not turn at leeln. We complied and explained our problem with the FMS. We continued our flight to our destination without any other problems and the FMS worked perfectly. This possibly could have been prevented if I had flown the departure; being more familiar with the las vegas airspace or more importantly possibly hand-flying the first few segments of the departure and not rely on the FMS. A possible contributing factor is that on the commercial chart we were using for this departure; the notes at the bottom of the page are confusing to me because they never really tell you when to climb out of 2680 ft MSL; you need to look at the diagram at the tomis fix to see any crossing altitude. I have looked at a government chart since this has occurred and feel there is much more detail in the route description (less confusion) something commercial chart might need to change on their charts. I also feel I could have helped prevent this from happening if I had spent more time going over this departure together with the other pilot prior to departing las vegas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR35 ON THE LAS STAAV THREE RNAV DEP FAILED TO MAKE THE TURN FROM LEELN TO TOMIS BECAUSE OF AN FMS FAILURE COUPLED TO THE AUTOPILOT.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM LAS ON RWY 25R DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE STAAV 3 DEP THE FMS WITH AUTOPLT COUPLED; FAILED TO MAKE THE TURN AT LEELN (FIX) TO A 332 DEG HDG; THE POINT (LEELN) AT WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE DEPARTED FROM 2680 FT MSL TO BE AT 5000 FT MSL OR ABOVE AT TOMIS (FIX). THE PF NOT BEING THAT FAMILIAR WITH THIS DEP DID NOT CATCH THE TURN ERROR RIGHT AWAY; THUS STILL AT 2680-2700 FT MSL; CAUSED THE GPWS TO ACTIVATE; THE VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT SO TERRAIN AVOIDANCE WAS NOT A PROB (WE HAD THE RAISING TERRAIN IN SIGHT). AT THIS TIME ATC CALLED WITH A R TURN TO 032 DEGS AND CLB CLRNC TO FL190; AND ASKED WHY WE DID NOT TURN AT LEELN. WE COMPLIED AND EXPLAINED OUR PROB WITH THE FMS. WE CONTINUED OUR FLT TO OUR DEST WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBS AND THE FMS WORKED PERFECTLY. THIS POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I HAD FLOWN THE DEP; BEING MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE LAS VEGAS AIRSPACE OR MORE IMPORTANTLY POSSIBLY HAND-FLYING THE FIRST FEW SEGMENTS OF THE DEP AND NOT RELY ON THE FMS. A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT ON THE COMMERCIAL CHART WE WERE USING FOR THIS DEP; THE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE ARE CONFUSING TO ME BECAUSE THEY NEVER REALLY TELL YOU WHEN TO CLB OUT OF 2680 FT MSL; YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM AT THE TOMIS FIX TO SEE ANY XING ALT. I HAVE LOOKED AT A GOV CHART SINCE THIS HAS OCCURRED AND FEEL THERE IS MUCH MORE DETAIL IN THE RTE DESCRIPTION (LESS CONFUSION) SOMETHING COMMERCIAL CHART MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE ON THEIR CHARTS. I ALSO FEEL I COULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IF I HAD SPENT MORE TIME GOING OVER THIS DEP TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER PLT PRIOR TO DEPARTING LAS VEGAS.

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.