Narrative:

On climb from jfk on the kennedy 9 departure/canarsie climb; we were established direct to cri as published. Autoplt was engaged; set direct to cri; on FMS. A few mi prior to the VOR; the aircraft turned hard to the left and established a standard rate turn. It appeared to me to be turning away from the departure track; so I immediately went to the heading mode and turned the airplane back direct to the VOR (the procedure was direct to VOR after takeoff). We re-established direct to VOR but were very close to it and needed to make left turn to the outbound radial (176 degrees) almost immediately; so I started an immediate left turn for the outbound course. But we passed over the VOR and went slightly wide on the turn (to the west) in the left turn the whole time. Controller questioned us regarding what climb we were flying. We told him and he gave us a turn and heading; then handed us off. I'm not sure why the airplane began the left turn initially. It's possible that it was actually turning to intercept the outbound course but it turned quickly; turned earlier (in my perception) than it should and it kept turning. I'm very vigilant on these departures (especially this one) and think I was too wired to expect a problem. As a result; I rapidly corrected back to the VOR. But; due to the short distances on this departure; we ended up slightly wide. 1 thing about this procedure: the airplane behind us apparently had the same problem. I have heard numerous pilots say they had problems on this; and have heard controllers say this happens all the time.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ HAS TRACK DEV ON KENNEDY DEP; CANARSIE CLB WHEN FLT CREW INTERVENES WITH AUTOFLT CTLED DEP THAT APPEARS TO BE TURNING PREMATURELY.

Narrative: ON CLB FROM JFK ON THE KENNEDY 9 DEP/CANARSIE CLB; WE WERE ESTABLISHED DIRECT TO CRI AS PUBLISHED. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED; SET DIRECT TO CRI; ON FMS. A FEW MI PRIOR TO THE VOR; THE ACFT TURNED HARD TO THE L AND ESTABLISHED A STANDARD RATE TURN. IT APPEARED TO ME TO BE TURNING AWAY FROM THE DEP TRACK; SO I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE HDG MODE AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE BACK DIRECT TO THE VOR (THE PROC WAS DIRECT TO VOR AFTER TKOF). WE RE-ESTABLISHED DIRECT TO VOR BUT WERE VERY CLOSE TO IT AND NEEDED TO MAKE L TURN TO THE OUTBOUND RADIAL (176 DEGS) ALMOST IMMEDIATELY; SO I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN FOR THE OUTBOUND COURSE. BUT WE PASSED OVER THE VOR AND WENT SLIGHTLY WIDE ON THE TURN (TO THE W) IN THE L TURN THE WHOLE TIME. CTLR QUESTIONED US REGARDING WHAT CLB WE WERE FLYING. WE TOLD HIM AND HE GAVE US A TURN AND HDG; THEN HANDED US OFF. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE AIRPLANE BEGAN THE L TURN INITIALLY. IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY TURNING TO INTERCEPT THE OUTBOUND COURSE BUT IT TURNED QUICKLY; TURNED EARLIER (IN MY PERCEPTION) THAN IT SHOULD AND IT KEPT TURNING. I'M VERY VIGILANT ON THESE DEPS (ESPECIALLY THIS ONE) AND THINK I WAS TOO WIRED TO EXPECT A PROB. AS A RESULT; I RAPIDLY CORRECTED BACK TO THE VOR. BUT; DUE TO THE SHORT DISTANCES ON THIS DEP; WE ENDED UP SLIGHTLY WIDE. 1 THING ABOUT THIS PROC: THE AIRPLANE BEHIND US APPARENTLY HAD THE SAME PROB. I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS PLTS SAY THEY HAD PROBS ON THIS; AND HAVE HEARD CTLRS SAY THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

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.