Medium large transport encounters ground obstacle conflict when deviating inadvertently from SID.

Attributes
ACN	118935
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	118935
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	118848
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Assigned mdw 4 departure on runway 31 at mdw, and maintain 2000' MSL. Tower assigned right turn to heading 090 degrees. In compliance with SID I climbed on runway heading to 1300' prior to commencing 30 degree bank right turn to a heading of 090 degrees at 200 KTS. Upon reaching that heading, we were looking at the sears tower (2302' MSL), 12 O'clock at 3-4 mi. Immediately turned away, asked departure for a climb which we received. In later conversation with chicago departure they claimed that we deviated from SID by going north of the dupage 096 degree right in our turn. Since we were DME equipped that station was not tuned in as we were on the 31L localizer to stay within 4 DME in the turn. The point is, I felt that I was in full compliance with SID and apparently was not, because the conflict was there. Using all available navaids would have prevented this. I'm just glad it wasn't IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ENCOUNTERS GND OBSTACLE CONFLICT WHEN DEVIATING INADVERTENTLY FROM SID.

Narrative: ASSIGNED MDW 4 DEP ON RWY 31 AT MDW, AND MAINTAIN 2000' MSL. TWR ASSIGNED RIGHT TURN TO HDG 090 DEGS. IN COMPLIANCE WITH SID I CLBED ON RWY HDG TO 1300' PRIOR TO COMMENCING 30 DEG BANK RIGHT TURN TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS AT 200 KTS. UPON REACHING THAT HDG, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SEARS TWR (2302' MSL), 12 O'CLOCK AT 3-4 MI. IMMEDIATELY TURNED AWAY, ASKED DEP FOR A CLB WHICH WE RECEIVED. IN LATER CONVERSATION WITH CHICAGO DEP THEY CLAIMED THAT WE DEVIATED FROM SID BY GOING N OF THE DUPAGE 096 DEG R IN OUR TURN. SINCE WE WERE DME EQUIPPED THAT STATION WAS NOT TUNED IN AS WE WERE ON THE 31L LOC TO STAY WITHIN 4 DME IN THE TURN. THE POINT IS, I FELT THAT I WAS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH SID AND APPARENTLY WAS NOT, BECAUSE THE CONFLICT WAS THERE. USING ALL AVAILABLE NAVAIDS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. I'M JUST GLAD IT WASN'T IMC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.