Narrative:

I was on climb out from dca and was on a vector. I had followed the river away from dca to the north. Departure control had issued several vectors first to the east, and then to southeast. I believe I was given a 120 degree heading, eddys intersection when able. I engaged LNAV upon rollout and autoplt drifted about 30 degrees west of eddys heading. I reentered eddys and at that time, the first officer said we were getting close to prohibited area P-56. ATC then issued another 120 degree vector (to the southeast) and shortly thereafter, eddys intersection when able. I do not think we penetrated P-56 and was not told to call anyone. ATC remained calm throughout the reissuing of the 120 degree vector. I think I became too relaxed with the LNAV feature of the autoplt and forgot to be concerned with the avoidance of P-56 once I was on a vector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW DEP DCA COMES CLOSE TO PENETRATING P-56 RESTR AREA DUE TO INCORRECT FMS OP.

Narrative: I WAS ON CLBOUT FROM DCA AND WAS ON A VECTOR. I HAD FOLLOWED THE RIVER AWAY FROM DCA TO THE N. DEP CTL HAD ISSUED SEVERAL VECTORS FIRST TO THE E, AND THEN TO SE. I BELIEVE I WAS GIVEN A 120 DEG HDG, EDDYS INTXN WHEN ABLE. I ENGAGED LNAV UPON ROLLOUT AND AUTOPLT DRIFTED ABOUT 30 DEGS W OF EDDYS HEADING. I REENTERED EDDYS AND AT THAT TIME, THE FO SAID WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO PROHIBITED AREA P-56. ATC THEN ISSUED ANOTHER 120 DEG VECTOR (TO THE SE) AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, EDDYS INTXN WHEN ABLE. I DO NOT THINK WE PENETRATED P-56 AND WAS NOT TOLD TO CALL ANYONE. ATC REMAINED CALM THROUGHOUT THE REISSUING OF THE 120 DEG VECTOR. I THINK I BECAME TOO RELAXED WITH THE LNAV FEATURE OF THE AUTOPLT AND FORGOT TO BE CONCERNED WITH THE AVOIDANCE OF P-56 ONCE I WAS ON A VECTOR.

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.