Narrative:

We were flying the 'runway 19R noise abatement takeoff profile' out of sna which requires a steep initial climb with the flight directors off and the autothrottles on. After handoff to departure, we were instructed to level at 2000 ft for traffic. Traffic was an small aircraft at 3000 ft opposite direction. During level off, we received a TCASII RA and the verbal command 'maintain vertical speed.' while maintaining 2000 ft, looking for the small aircraft and coping with the screaming TCASII, I failed to notice that the autothrottle had not reduced power and the airspeed was accelerating through 260 KTS. Autothrottle was disconnected and throttles reduced. We acquired the small aircraft visually and it passed overhead. The TCASII fell silent and we were finally able to hear the controller asking us to confirm that we were turning to a 175 degree heading (a required part of the musel 5 departure, at the seal beach R118 which we had crossed during all the excitement). We complied immediately. When the captain later asked me why I hadn't followed the map display, I replied that I was busy dealing with the RA, which was the small aircraft that I couldn't see, and the runaway autothrottle. We both agreed that the TCASII was set way too loud. Both of us wore headsets, yet couldn't hear ATC when the TCASII was going off. I submit that the noise abatement procedure is potentially dangerous in its present form. Either the procedure should be totally hand flown (no autothrottle) or the software for the flight director should be changed to allow for it to be used. TCASII sensitivities and aural warning volume levels need to be refined, and finally, allowing aircraft to fly north along the shore while aircraft are departing south on a complicated noise abatement profile and SID is asking for trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT SPD DEV AND TRACK HDG DEV FLYING THE NOISE SID OUT OF SNA.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE 'RWY 19R NOISE ABATEMENT TKOF PROFILE' OUT OF SNA WHICH REQUIRES A STEEP INITIAL CLB WITH THE FLT DIRECTORS OFF AND THE AUTOTHROTTLES ON. AFTER HDOF TO DEP, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL AT 2000 FT FOR TFC. TFC WAS AN SMA AT 3000 FT OPPOSITE DIRECTION. DURING LEVEL OFF, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA AND THE VERBAL COMMAND 'MAINTAIN VERT SPD.' WHILE MAINTAINING 2000 FT, LOOKING FOR THE SMA AND COPING WITH THE SCREAMING TCASII, I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE AUTOTHROTTLE HAD NOT REDUCED PWR AND THE AIRSPD WAS ACCELERATING THROUGH 260 KTS. AUTOTHROTTLE WAS DISCONNECTED AND THROTTLES REDUCED. WE ACQUIRED THE SMA VISUALLY AND IT PASSED OVERHEAD. THE TCASII FELL SILENT AND WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO HEAR THE CTLR ASKING US TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE TURNING TO A 175 DEG HDG (A REQUIRED PART OF THE MUSEL 5 DEP, AT THE SEAL BEACH R118 WHICH WE HAD CROSSED DURING ALL THE EXCITEMENT). WE COMPLIED IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THE CAPT LATER ASKED ME WHY I HADN'T FOLLOWED THE MAP DISPLAY, I REPLIED THAT I WAS BUSY DEALING WITH THE RA, WHICH WAS THE SMA THAT I COULDN'T SEE, AND THE RUNAWAY AUTOTHROTTLE. WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE TCASII WAS SET WAY TOO LOUD. BOTH OF US WORE HEADSETS, YET COULDN'T HEAR ATC WHEN THE TCASII WAS GOING OFF. I SUBMIT THAT THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN ITS PRESENT FORM. EITHER THE PROC SHOULD BE TOTALLY HAND FLOWN (NO AUTOTHROTTLE) OR THE SOFTWARE FOR THE FLT DIRECTOR SHOULD BE CHANGED TO ALLOW FOR IT TO BE USED. TCASII SENSITIVITIES AND AURAL WARNING VOLUME LEVELS NEED TO BE REFINED, AND FINALLY, ALLOWING ACFT TO FLY N ALONG THE SHORE WHILE ACFT ARE DEPARTING S ON A COMPLICATED NOISE ABATEMENT PROFILE AND SID IS ASKING FOR TROUBLE.

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.