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A B737-300 crew, departing dca on a visual from runway 1, lost sight of the river and drifted approximately 2 mi southwest of their intended position, causing a TCASII RA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 459067 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199912 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dca.airport |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dca.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure : noise abatement |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dca.tracon |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 459067 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11200 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 458833 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 15000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance FAA |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : dca.tracon |
| Chart | sid : noise abatement -- runway 1 |
| Publication | Noise Abatement -- Runway 1 |
Narrative:
While climbing out visually from dca runway 1 we received a TA and RA for aircraft in opposite direction. We were attempting to follow the river visually and were approximately 2 mi to west of river ground track. The river turns from west to north, and due to our light load and high angle of attack, we didn't pick up our visual reference below until we were beyond them. Supplemental information from acn 458833: I didn't notice the north bend in the river because of the high deck angle of the climb and because it turned away from my side of the aircraft. I was probably 2 mi to the southwest of the river. I think these types of visual departures in high density areas should be discontinued. In the future, I will use the 328 degree radial (which is visual backup) as my primary departure reference. In my opinion, it should be the only departure, as that river gets very narrow and difficult to monitor visually.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 CREW, DEPARTING DCA ON A VISUAL FROM RWY 1, LOST SIGHT OF THE RIVER AND DRIFTED APPROX 2 MI SW OF THEIR INTENDED POS, CAUSING A TCASII RA.
Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT VISUALLY FROM DCA RWY 1 WE RECEIVED A TA AND RA FOR ACFT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW THE RIVER VISUALLY AND WERE APPROX 2 MI TO W OF RIVER GND TRACK. THE RIVER TURNS FROM W TO N, AND DUE TO OUR LIGHT LOAD AND HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, WE DIDN'T PICK UP OUR VISUAL REF BELOW UNTIL WE WERE BEYOND THEM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 458833: I DIDN'T NOTICE THE N BEND IN THE RIVER BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DECK ANGLE OF THE CLB AND BECAUSE IT TURNED AWAY FROM MY SIDE OF THE ACFT. I WAS PROBABLY 2 MI TO THE SW OF THE RIVER. I THINK THESE TYPES OF VISUAL DEPS IN HIGH DENSITY AREAS SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL USE THE 328 DEG RADIAL (WHICH IS VISUAL BACKUP) AS MY PRIMARY DEP REF. IN MY OPINION, IT SHOULD BE THE ONLY DEP, AS THAT RIVER GETS VERY NARROW AND DIFFICULT TO MONITOR VISUALLY.
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.