Narrative:

We prebriefed almost everything at the gate with special emphasis on power settings (noise abatement). We failed to adequately address the departure routing. Our clearance was, '...via the dca 328 radial...' the text of the noise abatement procedure (dca 10-4) seemed a little vague. It should have specified an immediate left turn to avoid P56. We entered clouds at about 1000'. Switched to departure control and were asked if we had been cleared via the 328 degree right. I answered in the affirmative (first officer was flying). The controller pointed out that we were late making our turn and gave us a vector. I believe we must have flown through P56. I have probably become too dependent on the tower issuing latitude guidance with the takeoff clearance. Since none was given, we got careless. This incident could have easily been avoided with a little more attention to detail on my part. This was my first departure from runway 36.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED PROHIBITED AREA DEPARTING DCA.

Narrative: WE PREBRIEFED ALMOST EVERYTHING AT THE GATE WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PWR SETTINGS (NOISE ABATEMENT). WE FAILED TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE DEP ROUTING. OUR CLRNC WAS, '...VIA THE DCA 328 RADIAL...' THE TEXT OF THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC (DCA 10-4) SEEMED A LITTLE VAGUE. IT SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO AVOID P56. WE ENTERED CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1000'. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AND WERE ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED VIA THE 328 DEG R. I ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE (F/O WAS FLYING). THE CTLR POINTED OUT THAT WE WERE LATE MAKING OUR TURN AND GAVE US A VECTOR. I BELIEVE WE MUST HAVE FLOWN THROUGH P56. I HAVE PROBABLY BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON THE TWR ISSUING LAT GUIDANCE WITH THE TKOF CLRNC. SINCE NONE WAS GIVEN, WE GOT CARELESS. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED WITH A LITTLE MORE ATTN TO DETAIL ON MY PART. THIS WAS MY FIRST DEP FROM RWY 36.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.