Narrative:

Our departure clearance included the midway 4 departure SID. The specifics of the departure SID are: climb runway heading to 1300 ft before any turns, turns must be completed within 4 NM of airport (using localizer DME). Our clearance was radar vectors to gij then as filed, maintain 3000 ft. On takeoff clearance from tower from runway 31 we were told to turn right heading 090 degrees. After takeoff at 1300 ft we started a right turn to the 090 degree heading. During the turn we were instructed by tower to contact departure. Upon contact with departure, the first response was, 'give me a tight right turn to 110 degrees, you are in violation of the midway 4 departure.' I read back the clearance to the 110 degree heading and also noted at that time we were in a 30 degree bank and our DME equipment read 3.8, 3.9, 3.8. We were thanked for the turn and then handed off to the next controller. When we got a chance we reviewed the departure and found nothing that indicated we had violated the SID. Our equipment was set up correctly, we did not turn until reaching 1300 ft, at which time we executed a 30 degree bank turn to the right, turning to the 090 degree heading. Although seeing the 3.9 on the DME at one point is close, it does not exceed the 4.0 DME limit of the departure. We are also TCASII equipped and never saw visually or on TCASII any traffic conflicts. We don't know what the controller saw that indicated a violation of the SID, but it was very distracting to have a controller use a statement like that, on the air, directed at us during a critical phase of flight. This particular incident makes me stop and think that we must always be vigilant and do the best we can, but we can only do the best with what we have. Supplemental information from acn 316985: the midway 4 departure procedure requires no turns below 1300 ft, and then any turns to be completed within 4 NM of the airport. The departure controller's first words to us were 'you are in violation of midway 4 departure, continue a tight right turn to 110 degrees.' we were thanked for the turn and handed off to the next controller. I feel under the circumstances, it was inappropriate, and very distracting for a controller to use words such as 'you are in violation,' words said to us at a very critical and busy time!! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: callback was made to counsel pilot. Pilot is upset emotionally over remark by departure controller regarding the remark that they were in violation of SID requirements. From their instruments they were flying the proper ground track. Reporter was counseled to call the ATC quality assurance officer to communicate understanding of what, if any, deficiencies existed. It is important to not carry items around with a pilot that are emotionally troubling when any misunderstanding can be easily put to rest. It is in the best interest of all involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SID DEP COMS WITH DEP CTLR TRAUMATIZED FLC.

Narrative: OUR DEP CLRNC INCLUDED THE MIDWAY 4 DEP SID. THE SPECIFICS OF THE DEP SID ARE: CLB RWY HDG TO 1300 FT BEFORE ANY TURNS, TURNS MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 4 NM OF ARPT (USING LOC DME). OUR CLRNC WAS RADAR VECTORS TO GIJ THEN AS FILED, MAINTAIN 3000 FT. ON TKOF CLRNC FROM TWR FROM RWY 31 WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R HDG 090 DEGS. AFTER TKOF AT 1300 FT WE STARTED A R TURN TO THE 090 DEG HDG. DURING THE TURN WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO CONTACT DEP. UPON CONTACT WITH DEP, THE FIRST RESPONSE WAS, 'GIVE ME A TIGHT R TURN TO 110 DEGS, YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE MIDWAY 4 DEP.' I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO THE 110 DEG HDG AND ALSO NOTED AT THAT TIME WE WERE IN A 30 DEG BANK AND OUR DME EQUIP READ 3.8, 3.9, 3.8. WE WERE THANKED FOR THE TURN AND THEN HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. WHEN WE GOT A CHANCE WE REVIEWED THE DEP AND FOUND NOTHING THAT INDICATED WE HAD VIOLATED THE SID. OUR EQUIP WAS SET UP CORRECTLY, WE DID NOT TURN UNTIL REACHING 1300 FT, AT WHICH TIME WE EXECUTED A 30 DEG BANK TURN TO THE R, TURNING TO THE 090 DEG HDG. ALTHOUGH SEEING THE 3.9 ON THE DME AT ONE POINT IS CLOSE, IT DOES NOT EXCEED THE 4.0 DME LIMIT OF THE DEP. WE ARE ALSO TCASII EQUIPPED AND NEVER SAW VISUALLY OR ON TCASII ANY TFC CONFLICTS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CTLR SAW THAT INDICATED A VIOLATION OF THE SID, BUT IT WAS VERY DISTRACTING TO HAVE A CTLR USE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT, ON THE AIR, DIRECTED AT US DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT MAKES ME STOP AND THINK THAT WE MUST ALWAYS BE VIGILANT AND DO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT WE CAN ONLY DO THE BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 316985: THE MIDWAY 4 DEP PROC REQUIRES NO TURNS BELOW 1300 FT, AND THEN ANY TURNS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 4 NM OF THE ARPT. THE DEP CTLR'S FIRST WORDS TO US WERE 'YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF MIDWAY 4 DEP, CONTINUE A TIGHT R TURN TO 110 DEGS.' WE WERE THANKED FOR THE TURN AND HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. I FEEL UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE, AND VERY DISTRACTING FOR A CTLR TO USE WORDS SUCH AS 'YOU ARE IN VIOLATION,' WORDS SAID TO US AT A VERY CRITICAL AND BUSY TIME!! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALLBACK WAS MADE TO COUNSEL PLT. PLT IS UPSET EMOTIONALLY OVER REMARK BY DEP CTLR REGARDING THE REMARK THAT THEY WERE IN VIOLATION OF SID REQUIREMENTS. FROM THEIR INSTS THEY WERE FLYING THE PROPER GND TRACK. RPTR WAS COUNSELED TO CALL THE ATC QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER TO COMMUNICATE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, IF ANY, DEFICIENCIES EXISTED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT CARRY ITEMS AROUND WITH A PLT THAT ARE EMOTIONALLY TROUBLING WHEN ANY MISUNDERSTANDING CAN BE EASILY PUT TO REST. IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL INVOLVED.

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.