A300 crew started departure turn prematurely, before SID restr.

Attributes
ACN	503509
Time
Date	200102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : loupe
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 93 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 93
ASRS Report	503510
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time type : 755
ASRS Report	503509
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the PNF on flight sjc to den. We were cleared the loupe 9 departure off runway 30L. We fully briefed the departure to include turn restrs and the planned use of LNAV and VNAV. At 400 ft the first officer requested LNAV, which I selected. At the same time I was told to contact departure. Instead of continuing on runway heading until 1.8 DME, the first officer started the turn immediately, although the flight director was commanding straight ahead. I noticed the deviation as we were rolling through approximately a 360 degree heading and told him to roll out. At the same time, departure control told us to stop the climb at 2000 ft for VFR traffic at 2500 ft. The first officer had the traffic in sight and I told departure. We were then cleared to our original altitude of 4000 ft. Human factors involved were the usual busy atmosphere of takeoff and departure. Also the first officer told me he fixated on the requirement to complete the turn prior to 4 DME and forgot about the runway heading to 1.8 DME.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW STARTED DEP TURN PREMATURELY, BEFORE SID RESTR.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF ON FLT SJC TO DEN. WE WERE CLRED THE LOUPE 9 DEP OFF RWY 30L. WE FULLY BRIEFED THE DEP TO INCLUDE TURN RESTRS AND THE PLANNED USE OF LNAV AND VNAV. AT 400 FT THE FO REQUESTED LNAV, WHICH I SELECTED. AT THE SAME TIME I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. INSTEAD OF CONTINUING ON RWY HDG UNTIL 1.8 DME, THE FO STARTED THE TURN IMMEDIATELY, ALTHOUGH THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS COMMANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. I NOTICED THE DEV AS WE WERE ROLLING THROUGH APPROX A 360 DEG HDG AND TOLD HIM TO ROLL OUT. AT THE SAME TIME, DEP CTL TOLD US TO STOP THE CLB AT 2000 FT FOR VFR TFC AT 2500 FT. THE FO HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND I TOLD DEP. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO OUR ORIGINAL ALT OF 4000 FT. HUMAN FACTORS INVOLVED WERE THE USUAL BUSY ATMOSPHERE OF TKOF AND DEP. ALSO THE FO TOLD ME HE FIXATED ON THE REQUIREMENT TO COMPLETE THE TURN PRIOR TO 4 DME AND FORGOT ABOUT THE RWY HDG TO 1.8 DME.

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.