Narrative:

On apr/xa/98 at approximately XA02 local, takeoff had just been made from runway 16 new tokyo international airport (rjaa), japan, and the 'papas 5 departure' was being followed in clear WX and excellent visibility. The departure, from takeoff, proceeds runway heading to the 'yq' NDB (5.5 DME nrt), then the 156 degree yq to 12.0 DME nrt, then left turn to intercept the 140 degree radial off nrt to papas intersection. At the yq NDB the captain began to direct the clean-up of the DC10's flaps and slats at 3000+ ft AGL when the first officer said, 'there's 5.5 DME, ready to turn left, is 120 degree heading to intercept ok?' I (captain) felt a moment of confusion, thinking that we were to fly beyond the NDB before turning left, but recalled the 5.5 DME reference and having my hands full of retrimming the jet and accelerating, figured the first officer must be referring to his SID page but I was mistaken, so I turned left and began the 140 degree radial intercept. Shortly thereafter, departure control asked if we were turning to intercept the 140 degree radial, and then said the next time to turn at 12.0 DME. We realized our mistake -- cueing on the 5.5 DME reference over the yq NDB and thinking we had reached the turn point. I, as PF, should have instead cued in on my confusion as a warning, taken the time to rechk the SID page and then taken appropriate action. The controller did not seem to be overly concerned with the deviation. However, the area is very noise sensitive. Supplemental information from acn 399336: I, as so, am not given a set of approach/departure plates and so have no reference data. Also, I was not included in the departure briefing as I was closing up the flight. I should have asked to look at the SID myself, so as to better back up the front end crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-30 FREIGHTER PIC EXPERIENCES A HDG TRACK DEV ON DEP FROM RJAA ARPT. THE NRT DEP CTLR QUESTIONS HIM REGARDING THE HDG DEV. DEP WAS BASED UPON NOISE ABATEMENT.

Narrative: ON APR/XA/98 AT APPROX XA02 LCL, TKOF HAD JUST BEEN MADE FROM RWY 16 NEW TOKYO INTL ARPT (RJAA), JAPAN, AND THE 'PAPAS 5 DEP' WAS BEING FOLLOWED IN CLR WX AND EXCELLENT VISIBILITY. THE DEP, FROM TKOF, PROCEEDS RWY HDG TO THE 'YQ' NDB (5.5 DME NRT), THEN THE 156 DEG YQ TO 12.0 DME NRT, THEN L TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 140 DEG RADIAL OFF NRT TO PAPAS INTXN. AT THE YQ NDB THE CAPT BEGAN TO DIRECT THE CLEAN-UP OF THE DC10'S FLAPS AND SLATS AT 3000+ FT AGL WHEN THE FO SAID, 'THERE'S 5.5 DME, READY TO TURN L, IS 120 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT OK?' I (CAPT) FELT A MOMENT OF CONFUSION, THINKING THAT WE WERE TO FLY BEYOND THE NDB BEFORE TURNING L, BUT RECALLED THE 5.5 DME REF AND HAVING MY HANDS FULL OF RETRIMMING THE JET AND ACCELERATING, FIGURED THE FO MUST BE REFERRING TO HIS SID PAGE BUT I WAS MISTAKEN, SO I TURNED L AND BEGAN THE 140 DEG RADIAL INTERCEPT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, DEP CTL ASKED IF WE WERE TURNING TO INTERCEPT THE 140 DEG RADIAL, AND THEN SAID THE NEXT TIME TO TURN AT 12.0 DME. WE REALIZED OUR MISTAKE -- CUEING ON THE 5.5 DME REF OVER THE YQ NDB AND THINKING WE HAD REACHED THE TURN POINT. I, AS PF, SHOULD HAVE INSTEAD CUED IN ON MY CONFUSION AS A WARNING, TAKEN THE TIME TO RECHK THE SID PAGE AND THEN TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION. THE CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO BE OVERLY CONCERNED WITH THE DEV. HOWEVER, THE AREA IS VERY NOISE SENSITIVE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399336: I, AS SO, AM NOT GIVEN A SET OF APCH/DEP PLATES AND SO HAVE NO REF DATA. ALSO, I WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DEP BRIEFING AS I WAS CLOSING UP THE FLT. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TO LOOK AT THE SID MYSELF, SO AS TO BETTER BACK UP THE FRONT END CREW.

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.