Narrative:

While rushing to start the right engine, we were cleared for takeoff runway 32L at T-10. Departure instructions were left turn to 230 degrees. We initially thought the heading was 330 degrees, but heard the next aircraft cleared to takeoff and turn to 230 degrees. I asked the captain to confirm the heading, but radio congestion prevented that. During the turn toward 230 degrees, we idented a possible conflict on TCASII and rolled out of the turn. Departure control directed an immediate turn to 360 degrees, then 350 degrees before reaching 360 degrees. We were immediately vectored to 260 degrees while climbing to 13000 ft. Departure stated that we made a good turn and 'there was no problem.' however, it sure seemed that a problem was developing. I am still not sure whether the heading was 230 degrees or 330 degrees (which would hardly have been a turn). So, I think that starting the right engine at the last min could have interfered with my understanding of the takeoff instructions, since engine start and takeoff clearance were coincident. I think the aircraft in the #1 position should be completely prepared to take the runway, not starting while pulling onto the runway. I also believe that any question regarding ATC instructions should be cleared up as soon as possible. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the md-80 for a major united states air carrier. He is retired from the united states air force and a former member of the human factors society (sic) while in the air force. 'Rushed procedures' caused this incident. His air carrier believes in single engine taxi, but many capts wait too long to start the second engine causing a very large increase in workload at the very last min before takeoff. This crew was not able to verify their vector heading after takeoff because of frequency congestion. They assumed that the 230 degree heading would work for them as it was given to the aircraft immediately behind them. TRACON departure controller was initially concerned but had no time to chat about the wrong heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WHILE RUSHING TO START THE R ENG, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 32L AT T-10. DEP INSTRUCTIONS WERE L TURN TO 230 DEGS. WE INITIALLY THOUGHT THE HDG WAS 330 DEGS, BUT HEARD THE NEXT ACFT CLRED TO TKOF AND TURN TO 230 DEGS. I ASKED THE CAPT TO CONFIRM THE HDG, BUT RADIO CONGESTION PREVENTED THAT. DURING THE TURN TOWARD 230 DEGS, WE IDENTED A POSSIBLE CONFLICT ON TCASII AND ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN. DEP CTL DIRECTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 360 DEGS, THEN 350 DEGS BEFORE REACHING 360 DEGS. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY VECTORED TO 260 DEGS WHILE CLBING TO 13000 FT. DEP STATED THAT WE MADE A GOOD TURN AND 'THERE WAS NO PROB.' HOWEVER, IT SURE SEEMED THAT A PROB WAS DEVELOPING. I AM STILL NOT SURE WHETHER THE HDG WAS 230 DEGS OR 330 DEGS (WHICH WOULD HARDLY HAVE BEEN A TURN). SO, I THINK THAT STARTING THE R ENG AT THE LAST MIN COULD HAVE INTERFERED WITH MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE TKOF INSTRUCTIONS, SINCE ENG START AND TKOF CLRNC WERE COINCIDENT. I THINK THE ACFT IN THE #1 POS SHOULD BE COMPLETELY PREPARED TO TAKE THE RWY, NOT STARTING WHILE PULLING ONTO THE RWY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ANY QUESTION REGARDING ATC INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE CLRED UP ASAP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE MD-80 FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR. HE IS RETIRED FROM THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE HUMAN FACTORS SOCIETY (SIC) WHILE IN THE AIR FORCE. 'RUSHED PROCS' CAUSED THIS INCIDENT. HIS ACR BELIEVES IN SINGLE ENG TAXI, BUT MANY CAPTS WAIT TOO LONG TO START THE SECOND ENG CAUSING A VERY LARGE INCREASE IN WORKLOAD AT THE VERY LAST MIN BEFORE TKOF. THIS CREW WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY THEIR VECTOR HDG AFTER TKOF BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION. THEY ASSUMED THAT THE 230 DEG HDG WOULD WORK FOR THEM AS IT WAS GIVEN TO THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THEM. TRACON DEP CTLR WAS INITIALLY CONCERNED BUT HAD NO TIME TO CHAT ABOUT THE WRONG HDG.

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.