Deviation from assigned heading.

Attributes
ACN	178252
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rod
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 17 controller radar : 17 flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	178252
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On takeoff we had been instructed to turn to heading of 220 degrees. While turning and cleaning up, we got numerous TCAS TA's which distracted the crew and interfered with radio reception. The captain was flying the aircraft. When we finally contacted departure control, he asked our heading. The captain had turned to a heading of about 150 degrees. I presume to avoid traffic depicted by the TCAS system. However, this heading deviation conflicted with other departures from ord. Had we not been getting so many traffic calls, I believe we could have coordinated the deviation with departure or corrected our deviation sooner. Things happen fast out of ord. TCAS alerts only serve to confuse and complicate the evolution.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVIATION FROM ASSIGNED HEADING.

Narrative: ON TKOF WE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO HDG OF 220 DEGS. WHILE TURNING AND CLEANING UP, WE GOT NUMEROUS TCAS TA'S WHICH DISTRACTED THE CREW AND INTERFERED WITH RADIO RECEPTION. THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. WHEN WE FINALLY CONTACTED DEP CTL, HE ASKED OUR HDG. THE CAPT HAD TURNED TO A HDG OF ABOUT 150 DEGS. I PRESUME TO AVOID TFC DEPICTED BY THE TCAS SYS. HOWEVER, THIS HDG DEVIATION CONFLICTED WITH OTHER DEPS FROM ORD. HAD WE NOT BEEN GETTING SO MANY TFC CALLS, I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE COORDINATED THE DEVIATION WITH DEP OR CORRECTED OUR DEVIATION SOONER. THINGS HAPPEN FAST OUT OF ORD. TCAS ALERTS ONLY SERVE TO CONFUSE AND COMPLICATE THE EVOLUTION.

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