Flight crew of an MD80 while on departure climb after takeoff turned further than assigned by departure control in order to maintain visual separation with a B727 which was also climbing out just ahead in the same direction.

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Attributes
ACN	473399
Time
Date	200005
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	473399
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	473400
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In VFR conditions we were asked to maintain visual contact with B727 ahead and handed off from tower to departure. After contacting departure we were given a left turn to a 080 degree heading. At that time the B727 was at our 11 O'clock position and climbing. We assumed that the B727 was heading southeast but as we turned to 080 degrees as instructed we noticed that the B727 was also turning north. We had to continue the turn to 050 degrees to avoid the B727 which by that time was at our 1 O'clock position and about a mi and 700-800 ft above us. We informed ATC that we were turning beyond the assigned 080 degrees and maintained separation. We received a TCASII TA but no RA. ATC advised us that he thought we were maintaining visual separation from the B727 and then assigned us an 8000 ft leveloff. My feeling is that the controller goofed when he turned us to 080 degrees inside the B727 and put us in a tough position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD80 WHILE ON DEP CLB AFTER TKOF TURNED FURTHER THAN ASSIGNED BY DEP CTL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH A B727 WHICH WAS ALSO CLBING OUT JUST AHEAD IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

Narrative: IN VFR CONDITIONS WE WERE ASKED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH B727 AHEAD AND HANDED OFF FROM TWR TO DEP. AFTER CONTACTING DEP WE WERE GIVEN A L TURN TO A 080 DEG HDG. AT THAT TIME THE B727 WAS AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND CLBING. WE ASSUMED THAT THE B727 WAS HEADING SE BUT AS WE TURNED TO 080 DEGS AS INSTRUCTED WE NOTICED THAT THE B727 WAS ALSO TURNING N. WE HAD TO CONTINUE THE TURN TO 050 DEGS TO AVOID THE B727 WHICH BY THAT TIME WAS AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT A MI AND 700-800 FT ABOVE US. WE INFORMED ATC THAT WE WERE TURNING BEYOND THE ASSIGNED 080 DEGS AND MAINTAINED SEPARATION. WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA BUT NO RA. ATC ADVISED US THAT HE THOUGHT WE WERE MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE B727 AND THEN ASSIGNED US AN 8000 FT LEVELOFF. MY FEELING IS THAT THE CTLR GOOFED WHEN HE TURNED US TO 080 DEGS INSIDE THE B727 AND PUT US IN A TOUGH POS.

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.