A DC9 flight crew had difficulties maintaining visual separation with the proceeding B727 departure.

Attributes
ACN	453387
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10395 flight time type : 2450
ASRS Report	453387
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This flight was given takeoff clearance with restr to maintain visual separation from the preceding takeoff -- a B727. We took off on the same runway as the B727 we were to maintain visual separation with. I left the flaps out and pulled the nose up after takeoff in an effort to maintain speed compatibility. I had to turn slightly to keep the aircraft in sight as he was 'under our nose.' we were outclbing him at a substantial rate. We were both assigned a leveloff of 5000 ft. I told the first officer to tell the departure controller we turned 10 degrees right to keep traffic in sight. He responded (departure controller) 'roger.' we didn't turn left because the other parallel runway was on our left operating on a different frequency and I did not want to encroach. Also, this 10 degree right turn allowed me to see the B727 out of my window. Then the departure controller gave the departing B727 a 90 degree right turn. He began his turn that would place him in the near future crossing our flight path at our altitude. I requested a right turn also to stay inside of his turn. Departure said 'no' and reminded me that I accepted responsibility to maintain visual separation. I then took a hard left turn with departure approval, followed by an immediate right turn to follow traffic. This put the traffic under the nose of our aircraft and climbing -- out of my view. The first officer told me he could maintain visual with traffic out of his window. So we continued the series of turns. My opinion: poor traffic controling and frequency congestion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC HAD DIFFICULTIES MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE PROCEEDING B727 DEP.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS GIVEN TKOF CLRNC WITH RESTR TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE PRECEDING TKOF -- A B727. WE TOOK OFF ON THE SAME RWY AS THE B727 WE WERE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH. I LEFT THE FLAPS OUT AND PULLED THE NOSE UP AFTER TKOF IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN SPD COMPATIBILITY. I HAD TO TURN SLIGHTLY TO KEEP THE ACFT IN SIGHT AS HE WAS 'UNDER OUR NOSE.' WE WERE OUTCLBING HIM AT A SUBSTANTIAL RATE. WE WERE BOTH ASSIGNED A LEVELOFF OF 5000 FT. I TOLD THE FO TO TELL THE DEP CTLR WE TURNED 10 DEGS R TO KEEP TFC IN SIGHT. HE RESPONDED (DEP CTLR) 'ROGER.' WE DIDN'T TURN L BECAUSE THE OTHER PARALLEL RWY WAS ON OUR L OPERATING ON A DIFFERENT FREQ AND I DID NOT WANT TO ENCROACH. ALSO, THIS 10 DEG R TURN ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE B727 OUT OF MY WINDOW. THEN THE DEP CTLR GAVE THE DEPARTING B727 A 90 DEG R TURN. HE BEGAN HIS TURN THAT WOULD PLACE HIM IN THE NEAR FUTURE XING OUR FLT PATH AT OUR ALT. I REQUESTED A R TURN ALSO TO STAY INSIDE OF HIS TURN. DEP SAID 'NO' AND REMINDED ME THAT I ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. I THEN TOOK A HARD L TURN WITH DEP APPROVAL, FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO FOLLOW TFC. THIS PUT THE TFC UNDER THE NOSE OF OUR ACFT AND CLBING -- OUT OF MY VIEW. THE FO TOLD ME HE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH TFC OUT OF HIS WINDOW. SO WE CONTINUED THE SERIES OF TURNS. MY OPINION: POOR TFC CTLING AND FREQ CONGESTION.

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.