Heading deviation by MD80 departing dca.

Attributes
ACN	438200
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dca.vor
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	438200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At the gate in dca, the first officer and I briefed on the dca departure procedures and set up the radios. The cockpit was full of more than the usual distrs. There was an over sale of seats, questions about an 'acm' and a discussion with the fuel man about paperwork. After push and start we had a short taxi to runway 36. At the runway we were #2, but the tower said we would be #1 if we could take it rolling. I accepted the offer and we completed the checklist even as we began rolling. On climb, following the potomac river, the first officer commented that we were slightly east of the VOR radial. I thought this normal as I could see the river and we should join the radial around the next turn in the river. I looked at my VOR and it showed that I was almost a full needle deflection east and at the same time I saw that the B727 that we took off behind was off to my left, confirming that I was indeed right of track. I made a 20 degree left turn to compensate, but felt that this just didn't add up. I then saw that the 318 degree radial was set in my VOR instead of the correct 328 degree radial. I then started a right turn to correct back as we were not off track in the first place. At the same time the controller said the dreaded words 'where are you going?' there was no conflict and we were not far off track but he was not at all happy about it. I had disobeyed one of my own cardinal rules by allowing myself to get rushed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV BY MD80 DEPARTING DCA.

Narrative: AT THE GATE IN DCA, THE FO AND I BRIEFED ON THE DCA DEP PROCS AND SET UP THE RADIOS. THE COCKPIT WAS FULL OF MORE THAN THE USUAL DISTRS. THERE WAS AN OVER SALE OF SEATS, QUESTIONS ABOUT AN 'ACM' AND A DISCUSSION WITH THE FUEL MAN ABOUT PAPERWORK. AFTER PUSH AND START WE HAD A SHORT TAXI TO RWY 36. AT THE RWY WE WERE #2, BUT THE TWR SAID WE WOULD BE #1 IF WE COULD TAKE IT ROLLING. I ACCEPTED THE OFFER AND WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST EVEN AS WE BEGAN ROLLING. ON CLB, FOLLOWING THE POTOMAC RIVER, THE FO COMMENTED THAT WE WERE SLIGHTLY E OF THE VOR RADIAL. I THOUGHT THIS NORMAL AS I COULD SEE THE RIVER AND WE SHOULD JOIN THE RADIAL AROUND THE NEXT TURN IN THE RIVER. I LOOKED AT MY VOR AND IT SHOWED THAT I WAS ALMOST A FULL NEEDLE DEFLECTION E AND AT THE SAME TIME I SAW THAT THE B727 THAT WE TOOK OFF BEHIND WAS OFF TO MY L, CONFIRMING THAT I WAS INDEED R OF TRACK. I MADE A 20 DEG L TURN TO COMPENSATE, BUT FELT THAT THIS JUST DIDN'T ADD UP. I THEN SAW THAT THE 318 DEG RADIAL WAS SET IN MY VOR INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT 328 DEG RADIAL. I THEN STARTED A R TURN TO CORRECT BACK AS WE WERE NOT OFF TRACK IN THE FIRST PLACE. AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR SAID THE DREADED WORDS 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND WE WERE NOT FAR OFF TRACK BUT HE WAS NOT AT ALL HAPPY ABOUT IT. I HAD DISOBEYED ONE OF MY OWN CARDINAL RULES BY ALLOWING MYSELF TO GET RUSHED.

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.