Narrative:

Departed runway 22L at mdw, given initial clearance for right turn to 090 degrees. During the course of this turn, we were informed by ATC that we had exceeded the 4 mi radius limit of the mdw 4 departure procedure. WX was turbulent IMC in rain showers. Wind at 1000 ft AGL was reported by a helicopter operating near the airport as 180 degrees, 40-50 KTS. We were experiencing airspeed fluctuations of +/-10-15 KTS. We were also at maximum gross weight with a full airplane. Under these conditions, I did not feel comfortable turning the aircraft in a maximum performance, minimum maneuver speed turn. My target was 240-250 KTS and 20 degrees bank, with some variations due to turbulence/windshear. Under the conditions (strong south wind) that night, that proved insufficient to remain within 4 mi of mdw. Another factor is that I failed to mention the 4 mi restr in my departure briefing. This may have been fatigue, or possibly because we were a bit rushed at pushback time. The PNF (captain) was making his second entry into mdw. I will in the future ensure my briefings are more thorough. I understand ATC had multiple excursions that night at mdw -- at least 4 according to the controller when we spoke on landline after the flight. In light of the difficulty experienced by multiple crews, ATC may want to consider alternative routing when conditions are such that excursions are likely by high performance jet aircraft, and a 50 KT southerly wind at 1000 ft AGL I think qualifies as adverse conditions. Supplemental information from acn 456608: however, due to turbulence and rain and the combination of southerly winds, we chose to fly at 240 KTS and that gave us a very wide arc off mdw. The controller advised us of the wide turn and asked us to tighten the turn, but apparently, although we tried, was not enough. I then proceeded to explain we were doing our best and reminded him of the winds reported earlier. It is my perception that in the future I'll be more attentive of the winds and maybe leave flaps in the 1 degree position, giving us a wider margin and at the same time a tighter turn. Also, the fact that the first officer was flying, kept me a little less acutely aware due to the fact that I was performing other tasks as in bringing flaps up, gear up, climb thrust, radio communication, etc. Next time I'll be readier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC RPT ON EXCEEDING THE 4 MI ARC N OF MDW WHILE DEP DURING TURBULENT WX CONDITIONS. MDW, IL.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 22L AT MDW, GIVEN INITIAL CLRNC FOR R TURN TO 090 DEGS. DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TURN, WE WERE INFORMED BY ATC THAT WE HAD EXCEEDED THE 4 MI RADIUS LIMIT OF THE MDW 4 DEP PROC. WX WAS TURBULENT IMC IN RAIN SHOWERS. WIND AT 1000 FT AGL WAS RPTED BY A HELI OPERATING NEAR THE ARPT AS 180 DEGS, 40-50 KTS. WE WERE EXPERIENCING AIRSPD FLUCTUATIONS OF +/-10-15 KTS. WE WERE ALSO AT MAX GROSS WT WITH A FULL AIRPLANE. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TURNING THE ACFT IN A MAX PERFORMANCE, MINIMUM MANEUVER SPD TURN. MY TARGET WAS 240-250 KTS AND 20 DEGS BANK, WITH SOME VARIATIONS DUE TO TURB/WINDSHEAR. UNDER THE CONDITIONS (STRONG S WIND) THAT NIGHT, THAT PROVED INSUFFICIENT TO REMAIN WITHIN 4 MI OF MDW. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT I FAILED TO MENTION THE 4 MI RESTR IN MY DEP BRIEFING. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FATIGUE, OR POSSIBLY BECAUSE WE WERE A BIT RUSHED AT PUSHBACK TIME. THE PNF (CAPT) WAS MAKING HIS SECOND ENTRY INTO MDW. I WILL IN THE FUTURE ENSURE MY BRIEFINGS ARE MORE THOROUGH. I UNDERSTAND ATC HAD MULTIPLE EXCURSIONS THAT NIGHT AT MDW -- AT LEAST 4 ACCORDING TO THE CTLR WHEN WE SPOKE ON LANDLINE AFTER THE FLT. IN LIGHT OF THE DIFFICULTY EXPERIENCED BY MULTIPLE CREWS, ATC MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE ROUTING WHEN CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT EXCURSIONS ARE LIKELY BY HIGH PERFORMANCE JET ACFT, AND A 50 KT SOUTHERLY WIND AT 1000 FT AGL I THINK QUALIFIES AS ADVERSE CONDITIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 456608: HOWEVER, DUE TO TURB AND RAIN AND THE COMBINATION OF SOUTHERLY WINDS, WE CHOSE TO FLY AT 240 KTS AND THAT GAVE US A VERY WIDE ARC OFF MDW. THE CTLR ADVISED US OF THE WIDE TURN AND ASKED US TO TIGHTEN THE TURN, BUT APPARENTLY, ALTHOUGH WE TRIED, WAS NOT ENOUGH. I THEN PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN WE WERE DOING OUR BEST AND REMINDED HIM OF THE WINDS RPTED EARLIER. IT IS MY PERCEPTION THAT IN THE FUTURE I'LL BE MORE ATTENTIVE OF THE WINDS AND MAYBE LEAVE FLAPS IN THE 1 DEG POS, GIVING US A WIDER MARGIN AND AT THE SAME TIME A TIGHTER TURN. ALSO, THE FACT THAT THE FO WAS FLYING, KEPT ME A LITTLE LESS ACUTELY AWARE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS PERFORMING OTHER TASKS AS IN BRINGING FLAPS UP, GEAR UP, CLB THRUST, RADIO COM, ETC. NEXT TIME I'LL BE READIER.

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.