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Commuter air carrier flight departing sjc is cleared to maintain runway heading, but instead, turns to 270 degrees out of expectation and habit on the part of the flight crew.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 210997 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 120 |
| ASRS Report | 201997 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After departing sjc for sts, the first officer (who was the flying pilot) turned left to a heading of 270 degrees, to climb to 3000 ft MSL for vectors for sau VOR. Bay approach then asked if we were assigned runway heading after departure. I told him negative. Heading 270 degrees after becoming curious why bay asked to confirm our clearance, I asked my first officer to confirm sure enough, we were assigned runway heading after departure. I then called bay approach and admitted my mistake. He said 'roger' (whatever that is supposed to mean) and we continued to sts without further incident. When a task is performed in repetition, as most of our clrncs are, you may acknowledge a clearance that is different and mistakenly fly the routine. There was no fatigue or poor cockpit management involved. Just a classic case of doing the same thing day after day for so long. Such as 'after departure turn left 270 degrees, climb maintain 3000 ft.' then you're given only a small change 'runway heading.' in the heat of the moment the old clearance provides a mental block and an error is made.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: COMMUTER AIR CARRIER FLT DEPARTING SJC IS CLRED TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG, BUT INSTEAD, TURNS TO 270 DEGS OUT OF EXPECTATION AND HABIT ON THE PART OF THE FLC.
Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING SJC FOR STS, THE FO (WHO WAS THE FLYING PLT) TURNED L TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS, TO CLB TO 3000 FT MSL FOR VECTORS FOR SAU VOR. BAY APCH THEN ASKED IF WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY HDG AFTER DEP. I TOLD HIM NEGATIVE. HDG 270 DEGS AFTER BECOMING CURIOUS WHY BAY ASKED TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC, I ASKED MY FO TO CONFIRM SURE ENOUGH, WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY HDG AFTER DEP. I THEN CALLED BAY APCH AND ADMITTED MY MISTAKE. HE SAID 'ROGER' (WHATEVER THAT IS SUPPOSED TO MEAN) AND WE CONTINUED TO STS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WHEN A TASK IS PERFORMED IN REPETITION, AS MOST OF OUR CLRNCS ARE, YOU MAY ACKNOWLEDGE A CLRNC THAT IS DIFFERENT AND MISTAKENLY FLY THE ROUTINE. THERE WAS NO FATIGUE OR POOR COCKPIT MGMNT INVOLVED. JUST A CLASSIC CASE OF DOING THE SAME THING DAY AFTER DAY FOR SO LONG. SUCH AS 'AFTER DEP TURN L 270 DEGS, CLB MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' THEN YOU'RE GIVEN ONLY A SMALL CHANGE 'RWY HDG.' IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT THE OLD CLRNC PROVIDES A MENTAL BLOCK AND AN ERROR IS MADE.
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.