Narrative:

Event: on initial takeoff from lawson aaf, GA, aircrew was given an initial heading of 250 degrees magnetic, while flying through 1300 ft MSL on runway heading (runway 33). At 1800 ft MSL crew was given a second heading of 180 degrees magnetic. At 2200 ft MSL, aircrew began left turn to 180 degrees magnetic, and continued climb. ATC then notified crew to turn immediately to 180 degrees magnetic, traffic at 12 O'clock position, and 3 NM on final to columbus, GA, regional airport. No other warnings, information or directions were given, and crew was subsequently handed off to macon approach without further incident. Contributing factors: on the DOD approach plate, lawson aaf is depicted having a 'trouble T' takeoff symbol. Included in the write-up is minimum WX (not applicable to military pilots) and the following: 'for runways 3, 15, 21, 33 climb to 2200 ft MSL before turning.' no guidance is issued as to when the 'trouble T' is effective or if ATC vectors take precedence, or if the altitude is due to an obstacle or ATC radar coverage, etc. Consequently, the aircrew departed lawson aaf executing the climb out to 2200 ft MSL before initiating any turns. Also contributing was the aircrew's experience operating in and out of the field. The 2 takeoffs made prior to this occurred during times when lawson aaf tower was closed. The 'trouble T' procedure was executed and no problems encountered in either situation. Performance considerations: in hindsight, the 'trouble T' should not have been complied with as lawson aaf tower was operational. Based on the 2 prior takeoffs and our limited experience with the area, we, the aircrew, felt safe in having discovered the 'trouble T' a gotcha in some cases. However, a careful review of the field and its procedures could obviously have been helpful and prudent. As pilots we often get lured into the 'creature of habit' syndrome -- what made sense before may not always make sense currently or later. Regarding the traffic, the aircrew was unaware of the traffic, (no ATC calls between the other aircraft or approach), no TCASII on the military jet, or further guidance was provided by ATC until we were at 3 NM from the traffic. At the time ATC called, he was unaware we had initiated our turn away. In summary, the aircrew could have affected a review prior to takeoff of the departure procedures to which were applicable at the time. And as always, if ever in doubt ask ATC for guidance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A MIL C141 FAILED TO TURN WHEN GIVEN VECTOR HEADINGS BY DEP CTL DURING INITIAL CLB AFTER TKOF. THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE OBLIGATED TO FOLLOW THE INST DEP RTE SPECIFIED IN THE DATA ON THE IFR CHART WHICH APPLIED ONLY WHEN THE TWR IS CLOSED.

Narrative: EVENT: ON INITIAL TKOF FROM LAWSON AAF, GA, AIRCREW WAS GIVEN AN INITIAL HEADING OF 250 DEGS MAGNETIC, WHILE FLYING THROUGH 1300 FT MSL ON RWY HEADING (RWY 33). AT 1800 FT MSL CREW WAS GIVEN A SECOND HEADING OF 180 DEGS MAGNETIC. AT 2200 FT MSL, AIRCREW BEGAN L TURN TO 180 DEGS MAGNETIC, AND CONTINUED CLB. ATC THEN NOTIFIED CREW TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO 180 DEGS MAGNETIC, TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, AND 3 NM ON FINAL TO COLUMBUS, GA, REGIONAL ARPT. NO OTHER WARNINGS, INFO OR DIRECTIONS WERE GIVEN, AND CREW WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HANDED OFF TO MACON APCH WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ON THE DOD APCH PLATE, LAWSON AAF IS DEPICTED HAVING A 'TROUBLE T' TKOF SYMBOL. INCLUDED IN THE WRITE-UP IS MINIMUM WX (NOT APPLICABLE TO MIL PLTS) AND THE FOLLOWING: 'FOR RWYS 3, 15, 21, 33 CLB TO 2200 FT MSL BEFORE TURNING.' NO GUIDANCE IS ISSUED AS TO WHEN THE 'TROUBLE T' IS EFFECTIVE OR IF ATC VECTORS TAKE PRECEDENCE, OR IF THE ALT IS DUE TO AN OBSTACLE OR ATC RADAR COVERAGE, ETC. CONSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCREW DEPARTED LAWSON AAF EXECUTING THE CLBOUT TO 2200 FT MSL BEFORE INITIATING ANY TURNS. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE AIRCREW'S EXPERIENCE OPERATING IN AND OUT OF THE FIELD. THE 2 TKOFS MADE PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRED DURING TIMES WHEN LAWSON AAF TWR WAS CLOSED. THE 'TROUBLE T' PROC WAS EXECUTED AND NO PROBS ENCOUNTERED IN EITHER SIT. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: IN HINDSIGHT, THE 'TROUBLE T' SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH AS LAWSON AAF TWR WAS OPERATIONAL. BASED ON THE 2 PRIOR TKOFS AND OUR LIMITED EXPERIENCE WITH THE AREA, WE, THE AIRCREW, FELT SAFE IN HAVING DISCOVERED THE 'TROUBLE T' A GOTCHA IN SOME CASES. HOWEVER, A CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE FIELD AND ITS PROCS COULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL AND PRUDENT. AS PLTS WE OFTEN GET LURED INTO THE 'CREATURE OF HABIT' SYNDROME -- WHAT MADE SENSE BEFORE MAY NOT ALWAYS MAKE SENSE CURRENTLY OR LATER. REGARDING THE TFC, THE AIRCREW WAS UNAWARE OF THE TFC, (NO ATC CALLS BTWN THE OTHER ACFT OR APCH), NO TCASII ON THE MIL JET, OR FURTHER GUIDANCE WAS PROVIDED BY ATC UNTIL WE WERE AT 3 NM FROM THE TFC. AT THE TIME ATC CALLED, HE WAS UNAWARE WE HAD INITIATED OUR TURN AWAY. IN SUMMARY, THE AIRCREW COULD HAVE AFFECTED A REVIEW PRIOR TO TKOF OF THE DEP PROCS TO WHICH WERE APPLICABLE AT THE TIME. AND AS ALWAYS, IF EVER IN DOUBT ASK ATC FOR GUIDANCE.

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.