Narrative:

We were departing runway 27L ord. Other traffic was landing 32L a crossing runway. With our takeoff clearance we were given a heading of 220 degree after takeoff. Just after gear up we received a TA on TCASII. A quick look at radar scope showed traffic close in on left side of our aircraft. This was confirmed by copilot. With that in mind I did not turn left. When we contacted departure control he asked if we weren't supposed to turn to 220 degree heading. We said yes and advised of TCASII alert on the left. He advised of traffic in front and to right. We advised we had traffic in sight. He then gave us a 180 degree heading and said we should have turned to our 220 heading as instructed. (The traffic in front and right was on TCASII but never gave us any alert.) looking back I suppose we should have turned to our assigned heading but with a TCASII TA and a visual sighting in another direction I elected not to turn. Also I now suspect the TA came from landing traffic on 32L however I have no proof of this. Supplemental information from acn 192001: I feel the captain did right by electing not to turn into traffic that TCASII showed to be off our immediate left wing but which we could not get a visual on. TCASII broke our routine or interfered with our takeoff pattern/profile/routine. Have ord tower stay with a flight for longer periods of time rather than switch frequencys during the most critical time of flight. Maintain runway headings longer (even slightly longer) to lessen the workload and distrs. Dallas ft worth international airport is a good example of these 2 suggestions. They do just what I recommend and anyone riding in the cockpit jump seat during takeoff from each of these 2 different airports (dfw and ord) can see a big difference.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TRACK HDG DEV LEAVING ORD. CLRNC WAS LEFT TURN AFTER TKOF BUT FLC DELAYED BECAUSE OF A TCASII TA INDICATING TFC L OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING RWY 27L ORD. OTHER TFC WAS LNDG 32L A XING RWY. WITH OUR TKOF CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 220 DEG AFTER TKOF. JUST AFTER GEAR UP WE RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII. A QUICK LOOK AT RADAR SCOPE SHOWED TFC CLOSE IN ON L SIDE OF OUR ACFT. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY COPLT. WITH THAT IN MIND I DID NOT TURN L. WHEN WE CONTACTED DEP CTL HE ASKED IF WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO TURN TO 220 DEG HDG. WE SAID YES AND ADVISED OF TCASII ALERT ON THE L. HE ADVISED OF TFC IN FRONT AND TO R. WE ADVISED WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. HE THEN GAVE US A 180 DEG HDG AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED TO OUR 220 HDG AS INSTRUCTED. (THE TFC IN FRONT AND R WAS ON TCASII BUT NEVER GAVE US ANY ALERT.) LOOKING BACK I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED HDG BUT WITH A TCASII TA AND A VISUAL SIGHTING IN ANOTHER DIRECTION I ELECTED NOT TO TURN. ALSO I NOW SUSPECT THE TA CAME FROM LNDG TFC ON 32L HOWEVER I HAVE NO PROOF OF THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 192001: I FEEL THE CAPT DID RIGHT BY ELECTING NOT TO TURN INTO TFC THAT TCASII SHOWED TO BE OFF OUR IMMEDIATE L WING BUT WHICH WE COULD NOT GET A VISUAL ON. TCASII BROKE OUR ROUTINE OR INTERFERED WITH OUR TKOF PATTERN/PROFILE/ROUTINE. HAVE ORD TWR STAY WITH A FLT FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME RATHER THAN SWITCH FREQS DURING THE MOST CRITICAL TIME OF FLT. MAINTAIN RWY HDGS LONGER (EVEN SLIGHTLY LONGER) TO LESSEN THE WORKLOAD AND DISTRS. DALLAS FT WORTH INTL ARPT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THESE 2 SUGGESTIONS. THEY DO JUST WHAT I RECOMMEND AND ANYONE RIDING IN THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT DURING TKOF FROM EACH OF THESE 2 DIFFERENT ARPTS (DFW AND ORD) CAN SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

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.