Narrative:

We were given a heading before takeoff roll and told to expect vectors to join the shead departure. After using most of runway 1L for takeoff; tower told us to 'turn left now' while we were at 100 ft AGL. The airplane performance was minimal and the las vegas strip with the stratosphere tower loomed above us in the direction of our turn. At approximately 400 ft AGL; when we determined it to be safe; we began a turn to the left. Departure control wanted us to know why we were not in a turn. We informed them that we were in a 30 degree banked turn at maneuver speed (170 KTS). This ended the discussion with departure control. We felt that a turn 60 degrees to the left at 100 ft AGL was not safe. With a 30.1 degree celsius day at las vegas and 130;500 pound aircraft; we did not have the performance that we would have desired. This early turn could have bad consequences if any engine malfunction were to occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 DEP FROM LAS IS ISSUED AN AMENDED TURN DIRECTION IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. FLT CREW DELAYED TURN UNTIL REACHING 400 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A HDG BEFORE TKOF ROLL AND TOLD TO EXPECT VECTORS TO JOIN THE SHEAD DEP. AFTER USING MOST OF RWY 1L FOR TKOF; TWR TOLD US TO 'TURN L NOW' WHILE WE WERE AT 100 FT AGL. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE WAS MINIMAL AND THE LAS VEGAS STRIP WITH THE STRATOSPHERE TWR LOOMED ABOVE US IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR TURN. AT APPROX 400 FT AGL; WHEN WE DETERMINED IT TO BE SAFE; WE BEGAN A TURN TO THE L. DEP CTL WANTED US TO KNOW WHY WE WERE NOT IN A TURN. WE INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE IN A 30 DEG BANKED TURN AT MANEUVER SPD (170 KTS). THIS ENDED THE DISCUSSION WITH DEP CTL. WE FELT THAT A TURN 60 DEGS TO THE L AT 100 FT AGL WAS NOT SAFE. WITH A 30.1 DEG CELSIUS DAY AT LAS VEGAS AND 130;500 LB ACFT; WE DID NOT HAVE THE PERFORMANCE THAT WE WOULD HAVE DESIRED. THIS EARLY TURN COULD HAVE BAD CONSEQUENCES IF ANY ENG MALFUNCTION WERE TO OCCUR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.