Narrative:

I was captain and PF. Departed dca runway 36 on northwest VFR noise abatement departure. During rotation, got leading edge device in transit light, accompanied by stick shaker. Lowered nose to eliminate stick shaker and continued departure. Departure was normal until 5 DME when procedure calls for intercepting dca 328 degree radial. I changed my ehsi display to intercept the radial and turned toward the indicated course. A short time later (30 seconds), departure asked if we were still over the river. We were several mi southwest of the river. We were then given direct paleo intersection and we proceeded as filed. We did not penetrate any prohibited areas and nothing else was said. After, I discovered that I had selected the ehsi display to navigation instead of VOR/localizer and I was flying the incorrect course. I believe this occurred for several reasons. I was distraction by the leading edge device problem. I am also brand new on the airplane and should have had my display correctly set up before departure. Under pressure in-flight it is easy to select the incorrect mode. The instrument indications are almost identical and I did not recognize the mistake. Finally, our company operates B737's with 3 different cockpit configns -- non EFIS, EFIS, and new generation (all tv tubes). These require entirely different scans, cockpit preparations, operating philosophies, as well as having different switch locations. This is difficult for seasoned B737 pilots let alone a brand new captain! I feel this is a very uncomfortable situation. I ended up several mi off course. I can imagine much worse problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW CAPT FLYING AN ACFT FLEET WITH MULTIPLE CONFIGNS HAS MECHANICAL PROB THAT DISTRACTS HIM CAUSING INCORRECT SETTING OF MCP FOR NOISE ABATEMENT DEP. CTLR NOTICES DEV AND ISSUES NEW CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT AND PF. DEPARTED DCA RWY 36 ON NW VFR NOISE ABATEMENT DEP. DURING ROTATION, GOT LEADING EDGE DEVICE IN TRANSIT LIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY STICK SHAKER. LOWERED NOSE TO ELIMINATE STICK SHAKER AND CONTINUED DEP. DEP WAS NORMAL UNTIL 5 DME WHEN PROC CALLS FOR INTERCEPTING DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. I CHANGED MY EHSI DISPLAY TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL AND TURNED TOWARD THE INDICATED COURSE. A SHORT TIME LATER (30 SECONDS), DEP ASKED IF WE WERE STILL OVER THE RIVER. WE WERE SEVERAL MI SW OF THE RIVER. WE WERE THEN GIVEN DIRECT PALEO INTXN AND WE PROCEEDED AS FILED. WE DID NOT PENETRATE ANY PROHIBITED AREAS AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. AFTER, I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD SELECTED THE EHSI DISPLAY TO NAV INSTEAD OF VOR/LOC AND I WAS FLYING THE INCORRECT COURSE. I BELIEVE THIS OCCURRED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. I WAS DISTR BY THE LEADING EDGE DEVICE PROB. I AM ALSO BRAND NEW ON THE AIRPLANE AND SHOULD HAVE HAD MY DISPLAY CORRECTLY SET UP BEFORE DEP. UNDER PRESSURE INFLT IT IS EASY TO SELECT THE INCORRECT MODE. THE INST INDICATIONS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL AND I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE MISTAKE. FINALLY, OUR COMPANY OPERATES B737'S WITH 3 DIFFERENT COCKPIT CONFIGNS -- NON EFIS, EFIS, AND NEW GENERATION (ALL TV TUBES). THESE REQUIRE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCANS, COCKPIT PREPARATIONS, OPERATING PHILOSOPHIES, AS WELL AS HAVING DIFFERENT SWITCH LOCATIONS. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR SEASONED B737 PLTS LET ALONE A BRAND NEW CAPT! I FEEL THIS IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SIT. I ENDED UP SEVERAL MI OFF COURSE. I CAN IMAGINE MUCH WORSE PROBS.

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.