Possible loss of separation in a potential conflict with less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	180843
Time
Date	199106
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco tower : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	180843
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Takeoff out of mco, flight departed with climb to 12000'. Leaving 5000' given left turn to 090 degrees. There were many low level cumulus clouds in the area. Upon rollout, heading directly for cumulus cloud. Departure frequency was occupied. Turned left to 060 degrees, then immediately back to 90 degrees. When by the cumulus cloud, ATC asked heading. We advised 090 degrees. He said he showed a northeast track. We explained what we had done and the frequency congestion at the time. He relayed that he had lost some sep. We then continued the flight west/O incident. The problem was caused by frequency congestion and the flight crew's action of not going through the cumulus cloud. In the future, when climbing out in that type of VFR WX, should either obtain a deviate as necessary clearance or go through the cumulus clouds. I was surprised the controller even noticed the northeast track due to the fact that the consecutive 30 degree turns took less than 30 seconds for both turns.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE LOSS OF SEPARATION IN A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: TKOF OUT OF MCO, FLT DEPARTED WITH CLB TO 12000'. LEAVING 5000' GIVEN LEFT TURN TO 090 DEGS. THERE WERE MANY LOW LEVEL CUMULUS CLOUDS IN THE AREA. UPON ROLLOUT, HDG DIRECTLY FOR CUMULUS CLOUD. DEP FREQ WAS OCCUPIED. TURNED LEFT TO 060 DEGS, THEN IMMEDIATELY BACK TO 90 DEGS. WHEN BY THE CUMULUS CLOUD, ATC ASKED HDG. WE ADVISED 090 DEGS. HE SAID HE SHOWED A NE TRACK. WE EXPLAINED WHAT WE HAD DONE AND THE FREQ CONGESTION AT THE TIME. HE RELAYED THAT HE HAD LOST SOME SEP. WE THEN CONTINUED THE FLT W/O INCIDENT. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY FREQ CONGESTION AND THE FLT CREW'S ACTION OF NOT GOING THROUGH THE CUMULUS CLOUD. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN CLBING OUT IN THAT TYPE OF VFR WX, SHOULD EITHER OBTAIN A DEVIATE AS NECESSARY CLRNC OR GO THROUGH THE CUMULUS CLOUDS. I WAS SURPRISED THE CTLR EVEN NOTICED THE NE TRACK DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CONSECUTIVE 30 DEG TURNS TOOK LESS THAN 30 SECS FOR BOTH TURNS.

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.