Narrative:

After takeoff, the controller gave us heading 040 degrees then 360 degrees with revised altitude. I acknowledged the transmission and had to deal with company frequency. I noticed the captain, who was flying, again acknowledged the same instruction to the controller. On the company frequency somebody was trying to talk to the captain. I told the captain to talk on the company frequency and returned to the ATC frequency, but I did not notice the airplane was flying 040 degree heading. Then the controller told us that we were supposed to go 360 degree heading. The captain now turned to 360 degrees. In this situation, both had to FLIP-flop the radio and talking to ATC and company while ATC instructions kept on being revised. Again, PNF must monitor what PF is doing while talking to ATC and PF must pay attention to the flying first, then engage in radio communications. If so, PNF becomes PF no matter how brief and how frequent this exchange of duty might be. But we all too often ignore the official exchange of the duty as it will be too short duration of radio communication and will be able to monitor the airplane such brief moment, and during such moment error is occurring.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FAILS TO TURN TO NEW HDG AS ASSIGNED BY DEP CTLR. CREW HAS A PROB WITH 'WHO'S MINDING THE STORE,' TRYING TO TALK WITH COMPANY AND ATC BUT NOT FOLLOWING CTLR'S CLRNCS.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, THE CTLR GAVE US HDG 040 DEGS THEN 360 DEGS WITH REVISED ALT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND HAD TO DEAL WITH COMPANY FREQ. I NOTICED THE CAPT, WHO WAS FLYING, AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGED THE SAME INSTRUCTION TO THE CTLR. ON THE COMPANY FREQ SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO TALK TO THE CAPT. I TOLD THE CAPT TO TALK ON THE COMPANY FREQ AND RETURNED TO THE ATC FREQ, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING 040 DEG HDG. THEN THE CTLR TOLD US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GO 360 DEG HDG. THE CAPT NOW TURNED TO 360 DEGS. IN THIS SIT, BOTH HAD TO FLIP-FLOP THE RADIO AND TALKING TO ATC AND COMPANY WHILE ATC INSTRUCTIONS KEPT ON BEING REVISED. AGAIN, PNF MUST MONITOR WHAT PF IS DOING WHILE TALKING TO ATC AND PF MUST PAY ATTN TO THE FLYING FIRST, THEN ENGAGE IN RADIO COMS. IF SO, PNF BECOMES PF NO MATTER HOW BRIEF AND HOW FREQUENT THIS EXCHANGE OF DUTY MIGHT BE. BUT WE ALL TOO OFTEN IGNORE THE OFFICIAL EXCHANGE OF THE DUTY AS IT WILL BE TOO SHORT DURATION OF RADIO COM AND WILL BE ABLE TO MONITOR THE AIRPLANE SUCH BRIEF MOMENT, AND DURING SUCH MOMENT ERROR IS OCCURRING.

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.