Narrative:

On takeoff from dca runway 1, we may have penetrated the prohibited area north of the airport. The WX was VMC conditions and there was a northeast wind. Our operations describe a northerly takeoff from dca. It describes a VMC and IMC takeoff. The VMC describes one where the first officer keeps the east coast of the potomac river in sight and proceed north along the river til 4 DME and intercept the dca 328 degree radial. The IMC describes a takeoff where at 400 ft turn to a 300 degree heading to intercept the 328 degree radial. We set up the 328 degree radial and were prepared to intercept it which we briefed before the takeoff. As far as the heading to use to intercept, we weren't sure, since this was VMC and a heading wasn't mentioned. Before takeoff we inquired ATC for a heading but they just said 'turn to intercept the radial.' in short, the problem arose when I was trying to combine the VMC and IMC procedures. My attention was divided inappropriately. I was intent on locating the river but because of the aircraft body and climbing angle I couldn't see anything. At 800 ft I almost overspd the flaps and now my attention was on the flaps and I lessened the bank angle of my turn. I rolled out on a 325 degree heading since we were close to the VOR and had a northeast wind I assumed we didn't need a big intercept angle. The captain asked for a further turn left and I complied with 315 degrees. Because of the climbing angle I couldn't see anything and was unable to locate our position. In the end we intercepted the radial but not sure if we penetrated the prohibited area and ATC didn't say we did. What led to this was simple -- aviate, navigation, communicate. Because I was trying to navigation I forgot about the airplane. Also, we could've briefed the takeoff better where I was just PF and let the captain navigation. As far as ATC procedures, what would make this simpler is if the tower said 'when safe expedite a turn to 300 degrees to intercept the 328 degree radial' either IMC or VMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FO WAS NOT READY TO FLY. HE WAS UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO TO AVOID THE PROHIBITED AREAS N AND NE OF DCA.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM DCA RWY 1, WE MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE PROHIBITED AREA N OF THE ARPT. THE WX WAS VMC CONDITIONS AND THERE WAS A NE WIND. OUR OPS DESCRIBE A NORTHERLY TKOF FROM DCA. IT DESCRIBES A VMC AND IMC TKOF. THE VMC DESCRIBES ONE WHERE THE FO KEEPS THE E COAST OF THE POTOMAC RIVER IN SIGHT AND PROCEED N ALONG THE RIVER TIL 4 DME AND INTERCEPT THE DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. THE IMC DESCRIBES A TKOF WHERE AT 400 FT TURN TO A 300 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 328 DEG RADIAL. WE SET UP THE 328 DEG RADIAL AND WERE PREPARED TO INTERCEPT IT WHICH WE BRIEFED BEFORE THE TKOF. AS FAR AS THE HEADING TO USE TO INTERCEPT, WE WEREN'T SURE, SINCE THIS WAS VMC AND A HEADING WASN'T MENTIONED. BEFORE TKOF WE INQUIRED ATC FOR A HEADING BUT THEY JUST SAID 'TURN TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL.' IN SHORT, THE PROB AROSE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO COMBINE THE VMC AND IMC PROCS. MY ATTN WAS DIVIDED INAPPROPRIATELY. I WAS INTENT ON LOCATING THE RIVER BUT BECAUSE OF THE ACFT BODY AND CLBING ANGLE I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. AT 800 FT I ALMOST OVERSPD THE FLAPS AND NOW MY ATTN WAS ON THE FLAPS AND I LESSENED THE BANK ANGLE OF MY TURN. I ROLLED OUT ON A 325 DEG HDG SINCE WE WERE CLOSE TO THE VOR AND HAD A NE WIND I ASSUMED WE DIDN'T NEED A BIG INTERCEPT ANGLE. THE CAPT ASKED FOR A FURTHER TURN L AND I COMPLIED WITH 315 DEGS. BECAUSE OF THE CLBING ANGLE I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE OUR POS. IN THE END WE INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL BUT NOT SURE IF WE PENETRATED THE PROHIBITED AREA AND ATC DIDN'T SAY WE DID. WHAT LED TO THIS WAS SIMPLE -- AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE. BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO NAV I FORGOT ABOUT THE AIRPLANE. ALSO, WE COULD'VE BRIEFED THE TKOF BETTER WHERE I WAS JUST PF AND LET THE CAPT NAV. AS FAR AS ATC PROCS, WHAT WOULD MAKE THIS SIMPLER IS IF THE TWR SAID 'WHEN SAFE EXPEDITE A TURN TO 300 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 328 DEG RADIAL' EITHER IMC OR VMC.

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.