While flying a SID from dfw both pilots aboard a crj-700 failed to note the autopilot did not engage...

Attributes
ACN	1012921
Time
Date	201205
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	DFW.Airport
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	SID AKUNA FOUR
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Autopilot
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Speed All Types Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Narrative:

We were departing dfw on the akuna 4 RNAV departure navye transition. The departure was uneventful. At 600 AGL the first officer; who was the flying pilot; requested the autopilot on. I pressed the button but failed to notice it did not engage. I was then running the checklist for a few seconds and when I looked back up I noticed the aircraft was still in the climb but was banking to the left rather than continuing straight on the RNAV departure heading. I then realized that the first officer had released the controls; but had also failed to verify the autopilot was working. I immediately told him to turn right to return to the departure course. As he did; he pulled back a little on the controls and got the stick shaker. He responded properly and lowered the nose; the speed increased and we returned to the departure course guidance via the FMS. In the future I will verify that the autopilot is definitely engaged via the FMS display; and confirm the aircraft is flying the proper course once controls are released prior to performing other duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: While flying a SID from DFW both pilots aboard a CRJ-700 failed to note the autopilot did not engage when selected and a momentary course deviation and decay of airspeed to trigger a stick shaker resulted. Control was immediately re-established.

Narrative: We were departing DFW on the Akuna 4 RNAV departure NAVYE transition. The departure was uneventful. At 600 AGL the First Officer; who was the flying pilot; requested the autopilot on. I pressed the button but failed to notice it did not engage. I was then running the checklist for a few seconds and when I looked back up I noticed the aircraft was still in the climb but was banking to the left rather than continuing straight on the RNAV departure heading. I then realized that the First Officer had released the controls; but had also failed to verify the autopilot was working. I immediately told him to turn right to return to the departure course. As he did; he pulled back a little on the controls and got the stick shaker. He responded properly and lowered the nose; the speed increased and we returned to the departure course guidance via the FMS. In the future I will verify that the autopilot is definitely engaged via the FMS display; and confirm the aircraft is flying the proper course once controls are released prior to performing other duties.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

While flying a SID from dfw both pilots aboard a crj-700 failed to note the autopilot did not engage when selected and a momentary course deviation and decay of airspeed to trigger a stick shaker resulted. Control was immediately re-established.