2010-01 · NASA ASRS report 868746
C680 jet departing LAS was questioned by ATC regarding assigned PDC SID; ATC claiming TRLR2 was changed to STAVV4 via amendment text; 'Amdt:STAAV4'; located in the lower part of the PDC text.
At LAS; my First Officer received our clearance to SDF via PDC: 'TRLR2 departure; as filed; FL190.' He copied the clearance onto the clearance portion of the company release/flight plan paperwork received from Dispatch. The First Officer entered the departure and route of flight into the FMS. I checked that the departure/clearance and initial altitude were properly entered; in accordance with company policy. We taxied out; and after a long ATC delay; departed on Runway 25R. It was a clear; calm; beautiful day. We flew a perfect TRLR2 departure using NAV/VNAV coupled to the autopilot. During departure; the Controller asked casually how we obtained our clearance. We responded 'PDC'. Shortly thereafter; the Controller indicated a 'possible deviation may have occurred on departure.' We thought we flew it perfectly. I was directed to call and speak to the supervisor at LAS TRACON. After established at altitude and in cruise flight; I called and spoke to a supervisor. He stated that at the bottom of the PDC; mixed in with other data; was the notation; 'Amdt: STAAV4'. We indicated that we did not see that annotation. With the supervisor on the phone; we tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the PDC message from our computer to confirm what he told us. It was not available because it expired when it was de-selected after initially receiving the clearance. The crew does not know if; in fact; that annotation was present on the PDC. The supervisor surprised me by being very apologetic. He said that 'Admt STAAV4' means that we were supposed to fly the STAAV4 rather than the TRLR2 departure that dominated the clearance line on the PDC route of flight. He said that the format; with this amendment 'buried' at the bottom of the clearance among other data; is 'a known problem.' We were the 28th crew to do this in the short time since this new format was instituted. According to him multiple meetings have been held with TRACON management to address the issue and change the format in order to make the clearance clear to everyone. Thus far; management has not agreed to change the format. The supervisor further told us to inform our FSDO that this is a 'known problem at LAS' and that 'no loss of separation occurred' during our departure. Suggestions; recommend that all company crews be made aware of this pitfall at LAS. Careful reading of all PDC information; and questioning anything that is not crystal clear; is imperative to flight safety. 2) Recommend that LAS TRACON change the process and only issue PDC clearances that have the correct departure on the primary route of flight line of the clearance. Any changes to the departure or route after issuance of a PDC clearance should be made by contacting the crews directly.
PDC clearance was difficult to read and an oral clearance would not have caused this problem.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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