Heading track deviation during departure procedure. Flight crew distraction task.

Attributes
ACN	274065
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	274065
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Clearance: takeoff runway 13 lga -- whitestone transition on SID: heading 175 degrees as soon as possible, at 2.5 DME left turn to 040 degrees. Climb to 5000 ft. It was the first officer's leg. I forgot this and made the takeoff, headed 175 degrees and waiting for 2.5 DME. First officer then said, 'are you going to fly it?' I realized the mistake and transferred control to the first officer -- we both missed the 2.5 DME callout which occurred simultaneously with this transfer. We continued south (toward jfk) when departure said, ' turn left or right, but turn.' we chose right turn and were assigned heading 270 degrees. We apologized for the confusion. This is a classic case of being distracted by an unexpected event and allowing procedure to be ignored. I believe we all need to be aware of the ramifications of such occurrences and rigidly refuse to allow anything to interfere with concentration -- especially below 10000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV DURING DEP PROC. FLC DISTR TASK.

Narrative: CLRNC: TKOF RWY 13 LGA -- WHITESTONE TRANSITION ON SID: HDG 175 DEGS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AT 2.5 DME L TURN TO 040 DEGS. CLB TO 5000 FT. IT WAS THE FO'S LEG. I FORGOT THIS AND MADE THE TKOF, HEADED 175 DEGS AND WAITING FOR 2.5 DME. FO THEN SAID, 'ARE YOU GOING TO FLY IT?' I REALIZED THE MISTAKE AND TRANSFERRED CTL TO THE FO -- WE BOTH MISSED THE 2.5 DME CALLOUT WHICH OCCURRED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THIS TRANSFER. WE CONTINUED S (TOWARD JFK) WHEN DEP SAID, ' TURN L OR R, BUT TURN.' WE CHOSE R TURN AND WERE ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS. WE APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION. THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF BEING DISTRACTED BY AN UNEXPECTED EVENT AND ALLOWING PROC TO BE IGNORED. I BELIEVE WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE RAMIFICATIONS OF SUCH OCCURRENCES AND RIGIDLY REFUSE TO ALLOW ANYTHING TO INTERFERE WITH CONCENTRATION -- ESPECIALLY BELOW 10000 FT.

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.