Heading track deviation on departure procedure.

Attributes
ACN	169702
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 178 flight time total : 11700
ASRS Report	169701
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7800
ASRS Report	169532
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were operating airlines flight from atl to bna. During the preflight inspection, the 3 light marker beacon was tested and operated normally. We took off on runway 08R. Another aircraft departed from 09L at about the same time. Our clearance was to turn left (I believe the heading was 060 degrees) at the MM. Immediately after gear retraction the TCAS ii system gave a traffic warning, followed by an alert and a command to climb at 2500 FPM. At the time we were climbing at 2000 FPM. The rate was increased to 2500 FPM and the alert ended. The aircraft is equipped with 2 3-LIGHT marking beacon indicators. Neither of them indicated the MM at atl. As soon as the traffic alert ended the aircraft was turned to the departure heading. We were informed that we had been side to side with the departing light transport. Upon landing at bna, neither MM light illuminated. The TCAS ii system is very distracting when used in a busy air traffic area. It absolutely demands immediate attention because it is so loud. As it now stands, I believe it to be a hazard when used in such an environment. We know where the MM should be, and even though the marker beacon lights were inoperative, we would have initiated the turn earlier had the TCAS ii alert not sounded. The noise level of the TCAS ii system makes pilot to controller and crew member to crew member communication impossible. Supplemental information from acn 169532: I feel the TCAS ii system is a hazard in high density traffic areas and can only hinder operations, especially in a 2-M cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEVIATION ON DEP PROC.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING AIRLINES FLT FROM ATL TO BNA. DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION, THE 3 LIGHT MARKER BEACON WAS TESTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. WE TOOK OFF ON RWY 08R. ANOTHER ACFT DEPARTED FROM 09L AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. OUR CLRNC WAS TO TURN LEFT (I BELIEVE THE HDG WAS 060 DEGS) AT THE MM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER GEAR RETRACTION THE TCAS II SYS GAVE A TFC WARNING, FOLLOWED BY AN ALERT AND A COMMAND TO CLB AT 2500 FPM. AT THE TIME WE WERE CLBING AT 2000 FPM. THE RATE WAS INCREASED TO 2500 FPM AND THE ALERT ENDED. THE ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH 2 3-LIGHT MARKING BEACON INDICATORS. NEITHER OF THEM INDICATED THE MM AT ATL. AS SOON AS THE TFC ALERT ENDED THE ACFT WAS TURNED TO THE DEP HDG. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD BEEN SIDE TO SIDE WITH THE DEPARTING LTT. UPON LNDG AT BNA, NEITHER MM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TCAS II SYS IS VERY DISTRACTING WHEN USED IN A BUSY ATA. IT ABSOLUTELY DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ATTN BECAUSE IT IS SO LOUD. AS IT NOW STANDS, I BELIEVE IT TO BE A HAZARD WHEN USED IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT. WE KNOW WHERE THE MM SHOULD BE, AND EVEN THOUGH THE MARKER BEACON LIGHTS WERE INOP, WE WOULD HAVE INITIATED THE TURN EARLIER HAD THE TCAS II ALERT NOT SOUNDED. THE NOISE LEVEL OF THE TCAS II SYS MAKES PLT TO CTLR AND CREW MEMBER TO CREW MEMBER COM IMPOSSIBLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 169532: I FEEL THE TCAS II SYS IS A HAZARD IN HIGH DENSITY TFC AREAS AND CAN ONLY HINDER OPS, ESPECIALLY IN A 2-M COCKPIT.

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.