Narrative:

Flight was a delivery of an F18 aircraft from the owning unit at miramar to contractor (civilian) at china lake flown by civilian pilot. Route filed was bza-pke-dag-nid. Dispatcher at base operations said radar on course was probable for departure. Clearance delivery issued clearance via julian 2 departure with thermal transition. Departure altitude was climb to 4000 ft. Takeoff runway 24R. Setting up for departure, I could not get the mission bay (mzb) TACAN to lock up. Takeoff was normal and I contacted socal departure, reported climbing to 4000 ft. I still did not have mzb lock on. Passing 3000 ft (runway heading) mzb locked on and I started a right turn to intercept the 360 degree radial, which was now just behind me. Socal came on with a call to maintain 2000 ft and turn immediately to intercept. I stated I was in the turn and already out of 3000 ft climbing to 4000 ft, but could descend to 2000 ft if they really wanted me to. They said maintain 4000 ft and traffic at 12 O'clock 3000 ft, which I saw and acknowledged. Socal then said I should have done better intercepting the departure radial and should not fly the departure if I could not comply with it. I would have done whatever was desired on the departure if I knew what was required. The julian 2 departure does not direct an immediate right turn. It says to turn right to join and fly the 360 degree radial. If there is risk or danger of interfering with airway traffic, then the departure instructions should be changed to turn to 360 degrees after takeoff and then join and fly the 360 degree radial. This would minimize any potential conflict with airway traffic west of miramar, utilizing a TACAN 5 or 6 mi away precludes having a lock on, tuned and idented before using a NAVAID for IFR purposes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CPR F18 FAILED TO TURN AS REQUIRED AFTER TKOF AND OVERSHOT THE PUBLISHED DEP TRACK CAUSING ATC TO INTERVENE AND AMEND HIS ALT WHILE TURNING BACK TO THE VORTAC RADIAL HE HAD MISSED TURNING ON TO.

Narrative: FLT WAS A DELIVERY OF AN F18 ACFT FROM THE OWNING UNIT AT MIRAMAR TO CONTRACTOR (CIVILIAN) AT CHINA LAKE FLOWN BY CIVILIAN PLT. RTE FILED WAS BZA-PKE-DAG-NID. DISPATCHER AT BASE OPS SAID RADAR ON COURSE WAS PROBABLE FOR DEP. CLRNC DELIVERY ISSUED CLRNC VIA JULIAN 2 DEP WITH THERMAL TRANSITION. DEP ALT WAS CLB TO 4000 FT. TKOF RWY 24R. SETTING UP FOR DEP, I COULD NOT GET THE MISSION BAY (MZB) TACAN TO LOCK UP. TKOF WAS NORMAL AND I CONTACTED SOCAL DEP, RPTED CLBING TO 4000 FT. I STILL DID NOT HAVE MZB LOCK ON. PASSING 3000 FT (RWY HDG) MZB LOCKED ON AND I STARTED A R TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 360 DEG RADIAL, WHICH WAS NOW JUST BEHIND ME. SOCAL CAME ON WITH A CALL TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT AND TURN IMMEDIATELY TO INTERCEPT. I STATED I WAS IN THE TURN AND ALREADY OUT OF 3000 FT CLBING TO 4000 FT, BUT COULD DSND TO 2000 FT IF THEY REALLY WANTED ME TO. THEY SAID MAINTAIN 4000 FT AND TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK 3000 FT, WHICH I SAW AND ACKNOWLEDGED. SOCAL THEN SAID I SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER INTERCEPTING THE DEP RADIAL AND SHOULD NOT FLY THE DEP IF I COULD NOT COMPLY WITH IT. I WOULD HAVE DONE WHATEVER WAS DESIRED ON THE DEP IF I KNEW WHAT WAS REQUIRED. THE JULIAN 2 DEP DOES NOT DIRECT AN IMMEDIATE R TURN. IT SAYS TO TURN R TO JOIN AND FLY THE 360 DEG RADIAL. IF THERE IS RISK OR DANGER OF INTERFERING WITH AIRWAY TFC, THEN THE DEP INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE CHANGED TO TURN TO 360 DEGS AFTER TKOF AND THEN JOIN AND FLY THE 360 DEG RADIAL. THIS WOULD MINIMIZE ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH AIRWAY TFC W OF MIRAMAR, UTILIZING A TACAN 5 OR 6 MI AWAY PRECLUDES HAVING A LOCK ON, TUNED AND IDENTED BEFORE USING A NAVAID FOR IFR PURPOSES.

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.