Narrative:

We were given this IFR clearance from dca clearance delivery: 'you are cleared to jfk, depart northwest, noise abatement to the 091 degree right of armel to paleo intersection, then as filed, climb and maintain 5000, expect 270 in 10. Departure 126.55 squawk XXXX.' clearance delivery or departure control never stated radar vector. We departed dca and while executing the noise abatement procedure, I began to realize now quickly the 091 degree right of armel was approaching. At 6 or 7 DME (approximately) from dca a right turn to intercept the 091 degree right was begun. After about 45 degrees of turn the approach controller asked us where we were going and informed us that we should have proceeded to the 10 DME fix and waited for vectors to the 091 degree right of armel. The contributing factors were: 1) unclr or misinterpreted noise abatement procedures. There are several references to the 10 DME fix, but all but one refers to power. I realize now that 1 reference of the 10 DME fix specifies route! 2) clearance delivery did not specify radar vector to the 091 degree right. 3) departure control should say expect 'radar vector after 10 DME,' or 'depart the 10 DME fix heading X.' 4) lastly, I think you are purposely setting a pilot up when you assign a procedure and before the procedure is finished allow him to fly through the point to which he will be later vectored to. Example: in order to intercept the 091 degree right of armel, you must turn before reaching the 10 DME fix of the noise abatement procedure. In order to comply with our clearance, a decision had to be made in a short period of time. The failure to recognize that 10 DME on the noise abatement procedure was a required route (we turn early to the south all the time with radar vectors) contributed to our error. We never were told that we were on a radar vector. It was and still is a confusing clearance if 'radar vector' is left out of the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR LTT DEVIATED FROM NOISE PROC LEAVING DCA.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN THIS IFR CLRNC FROM DCA CLRNC DELIVERY: 'YOU ARE CLRED TO JFK, DEPART NW, NOISE ABATEMENT TO THE 091 DEG R OF ARMEL TO PALEO INTXN, THEN AS FILED, CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000, EXPECT 270 IN 10. DEP 126.55 SQUAWK XXXX.' CLRNC DELIVERY OR DEP CTL NEVER STATED RADAR VECTOR. WE DEPARTED DCA AND WHILE EXECUTING THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC, I BEGAN TO REALIZE NOW QUICKLY THE 091 DEG R OF ARMEL WAS APCHING. AT 6 OR 7 DME (APPROX) FROM DCA A RIGHT TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 091 DEG R WAS BEGUN. AFTER ABOUT 45 DEGS OF TURN THE APCH CTLR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING AND INFORMED US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED TO THE 10 DME FIX AND WAITED FOR VECTORS TO THE 091 DEG R OF ARMEL. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) UNCLR OR MISINTERPRETED NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS. THERE ARE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE 10 DME FIX, BUT ALL BUT ONE REFERS TO PWR. I REALIZE NOW THAT 1 REF OF THE 10 DME FIX SPECIFIES ROUTE! 2) CLRNC DELIVERY DID NOT SPECIFY RADAR VECTOR TO THE 091 DEG R. 3) DEP CTL SHOULD SAY EXPECT 'RADAR VECTOR AFTER 10 DME,' OR 'DEPART THE 10 DME FIX HDG X.' 4) LASTLY, I THINK YOU ARE PURPOSELY SETTING A PLT UP WHEN YOU ASSIGN A PROC AND BEFORE THE PROC IS FINISHED ALLOW HIM TO FLY THROUGH THE POINT TO WHICH HE WILL BE LATER VECTORED TO. EXAMPLE: IN ORDER TO INTERCEPT THE 091 DEG R OF ARMEL, YOU MUST TURN BEFORE REACHING THE 10 DME FIX OF THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH OUR CLRNC, A DECISION HAD TO BE MADE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THAT 10 DME ON THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC WAS A REQUIRED ROUTE (WE TURN EARLY TO THE S ALL THE TIME WITH RADAR VECTORS) CONTRIBUTED TO OUR ERROR. WE NEVER WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE ON A RADAR VECTOR. IT WAS AND STILL IS A CONFUSING CLRNC IF 'RADAR VECTOR' IS LEFT OUT OF THE CLRNC.

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.