Medium large transport experiences a TCASII warning when they don't turn as tight as desired by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	259206
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
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 : 230 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	259206
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying leg. Heavy medium large transport with reduced flap takeoff because of weight. Tower cleared us for takeoff runway 12R with left turn to 340 degrees and 'keep it tight.' SID says initial heading must be completed within 3 DME of hou. We were trying our best to keep it within 3 DME. Aircraft not performing well due to noise abatement power setting and heavy weight, but we were right on the 3 DME. About 1/2 way through turn tower told us to tighten the turn. We really couldn't due to our speed. Before I could answer, another controller voice (female) interrupted and told us to climb now without delay to assigned altitude of 4000 ft. Then the TCASII sounded 'traffic, traffic.' I acknowledged climb and traffic conflict passed. The hou departure says to inform controller before takeoff if unable to keep turn within 3 DME. We did keep within 3 DME, but were unable to keep it tight enough for him. I still don't know how tight he wanted it, but assumed 3 DME would be enough. I don't think ATC realizes a gross weight takeoff in an medium large transport or most any other transport jet takes some time and distance and during the cleanup we are limited in our angle of bank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG EXPERIENCES A TCASII WARNING WHEN THEY DON'T TURN AS TIGHT AS DESIRED BY ATC.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING LEG. HVY MLG WITH REDUCED FLAP TKOF BECAUSE OF WT. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF RWY 12R WITH L TURN TO 340 DEGS AND 'KEEP IT TIGHT.' SID SAYS INITIAL HDG MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 3 DME OF HOU. WE WERE TRYING OUR BEST TO KEEP IT WITHIN 3 DME. ACFT NOT PERFORMING WELL DUE TO NOISE ABATEMENT PWR SETTING AND HVY WT, BUT WE WERE RIGHT ON THE 3 DME. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH TURN TWR TOLD US TO TIGHTEN THE TURN. WE REALLY COULDN'T DUE TO OUR SPD. BEFORE I COULD ANSWER, ANOTHER CTLR VOICE (FEMALE) INTERRUPTED AND TOLD US TO CLB NOW WITHOUT DELAY TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT. THEN THE TCASII SOUNDED 'TFC, TFC.' I ACKNOWLEDGED CLB AND TFC CONFLICT PASSED. THE HOU DEP SAYS TO INFORM CTLR BEFORE TKOF IF UNABLE TO KEEP TURN WITHIN 3 DME. WE DID KEEP WITHIN 3 DME, BUT WERE UNABLE TO KEEP IT TIGHT ENOUGH FOR HIM. I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TIGHT HE WANTED IT, BUT ASSUMED 3 DME WOULD BE ENOUGH. I DON'T THINK ATC REALIZES A GROSS WT TKOF IN AN MLG OR MOST ANY OTHER TRANSPORT JET TAKES SOME TIME AND DISTANCE AND DURING THE CLEANUP WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR ANGLE OF BANK.

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.