Narrative:

I was the PIC (pilot in command) and pilot flying on a quick empty-leg trip from teb [part 91]. We had been assigned the ruudy six (RNAV) departure off of runway 24. Our initial heading was 240 to 520 feet; direct to davim; then on track 262 to cross wentz at 1500 feet; then on track 283 to ruudy. When I leveled at 1500 feet I engaged the auto pilot. I looked at our track and saw we were not turning via the departure; we were tracking the initial heading of 240. I immediately engaged the LNAV and manually made a sharp right turn to get back on course. While banking; ATC advised us to turn right on course. We advised we were already in the turn and that we had a momentary glitch with our navigation computer. The controller gave us a new heading and to climb to 3000 feet. We detected that we did not have the LNAV engaged when the aircraft failed to turn from the initial heading of 240 at davim. We had engines running ready to taxi when I noticed that the line crew had pulled an aircraft next to ours; the wing of the aircraft was in front of our left wing and I could tell we had insufficient clearance. We signaled to the wing walker on the right wing to go to our left wing. When he saw the issue he got the supervisor to take a look. The supervisor signaled to me that he was going to have it moved. After they tugged the aircraft to another spot. We got clearance to taxi to runway 24. We completed our taxi and before takeoff checklist to the line. Tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 24. While taxiing out onto the runway I felt a bump from the right side main tires as if we hit a pot hole or ran over something. Shortly after we had crossed the hold short line the tower instructed us to keep it on the roll that he had an aircraft on short final. We hastily finished the before takeoff checklist as were turning onto the runway. I was looking back out my left window to verify we had not run over anything that could have damaged the main tires. I saw nothing an assumed it had been a pot hole. I continued the roll and added takeoff power for our departure. I failed to verify that we were in LNAV mode. I normally engage the LNAV button when leaving out of the chocks and verify it when lined up on the runway before adding power. When I noticed we had not started the turn to 262 after davim I engaged the LNAV and manually made a sharp right turn which disengaged the autopilot. I should have not gotten so distracted on the ramp or when I was taxiing onto the runway. I should have put the FMA in my scan before adding power.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Captain reported failing to engage LNAV prior to departure due to distractions before takeoff.

Narrative: I was the PIC (Pilot in Command) and pilot flying on a quick empty-leg trip from TEB [Part 91]. We had been assigned the Ruudy Six (RNAV) departure off of runway 24. Our initial heading was 240 to 520 feet; direct to DAVIM; then on track 262 to cross WENTZ at 1500 feet; then on track 283 to Ruudy. When I leveled at 1500 feet I engaged the auto pilot. I looked at our track and saw we were not turning via the departure; we were tracking the initial heading of 240. I immediately engaged the LNAV and manually made a sharp right turn to get back on course. While banking; ATC advised us to turn right on course. We advised we were already in the turn and that we had a momentary glitch with our NAV computer. The controller gave us a new heading and to climb to 3000 feet. We detected that we did not have the LNAV engaged when the aircraft failed to turn from the initial heading of 240 at DAVIM. We had engines running ready to taxi when I noticed that the line crew had pulled an aircraft next to ours; the wing of the aircraft was in front of our left wing and I could tell we had insufficient clearance. We signaled to the wing walker on the right wing to go to our left wing. When he saw the issue he got the supervisor to take a look. The supervisor signaled to me that he was going to have it moved. After they tugged the aircraft to another spot. We got clearance to taxi to runway 24. We completed our taxi and before takeoff checklist to the line. Tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 24. While taxiing out onto the runway I felt a bump from the right side main tires as if we hit a pot hole or ran over something. Shortly after we had crossed the hold short line the tower instructed us to keep it on the roll that he had an aircraft on short final. We hastily finished the before takeoff checklist as were turning onto the runway. I was looking back out my left window to verify we had not run over anything that could have damaged the main tires. I saw nothing an assumed it had been a pot hole. I continued the roll and added takeoff power for our departure. I failed to verify that we were in LNAV mode. I normally engage the LNAV button when leaving out of the chocks and verify it when lined up on the runway before adding power. When I noticed we had not started the turn to 262 after DAVIM I engaged the LNAV and manually made a sharp right turn which disengaged the autopilot. I should have not gotten so distracted on the ramp or when I was taxiing onto the runway. I should have put the FMA in my scan before adding power.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.