Air carrier X failed to comply with ATC instructions. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	142005
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	approach : visual departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10370 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	142005
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 750 vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X on takeoff from lax in-trail of widebody transport 5 mi ahead. Told to keep sight, climb inside of and below his left turn back to lax. Told copilot to keep him in sight; I would lose sight as I turned left. I did not understand or hear instruction to turn and remain below him. I thought I was to keep him in sight and turn inside him at any altitude. Commenced tight turn and steep climb. Copilot lost sight when air carrier Y went around cloud. Copilot never said he lost sight. Regained sight after passing over air carrier Y (1/8 mi aft/2000' above). Unusual instructions (i.e., remain below traffic) and failure of copilot to report loss of sight caused situation along with my failure to listen up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ACR X ON TKOF FROM LAX IN-TRAIL OF WDB 5 MI AHEAD. TOLD TO KEEP SIGHT, CLB INSIDE OF AND BELOW HIS LEFT TURN BACK TO LAX. TOLD COPLT TO KEEP HIM IN SIGHT; I WOULD LOSE SIGHT AS I TURNED LEFT. I DID NOT UNDERSTAND OR HEAR INSTRUCTION TO TURN AND REMAIN BELOW HIM. I THOUGHT I WAS TO KEEP HIM IN SIGHT AND TURN INSIDE HIM AT ANY ALT. COMMENCED TIGHT TURN AND STEEP CLB. COPLT LOST SIGHT WHEN ACR Y WENT AROUND CLOUD. COPLT NEVER SAID HE LOST SIGHT. REGAINED SIGHT AFTER PASSING OVER ACR Y (1/8 MI AFT/2000' ABOVE). UNUSUAL INSTRUCTIONS (I.E., REMAIN BELOW TFC) AND FAILURE OF COPLT TO RPT LOSS OF SIGHT CAUSED SITUATION ALONG WITH MY FAILURE TO LISTEN UP.

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.