Because of distraction with traffic watch and a possible potential conflict, a departure A319 flight...

Attributes
ACN	521090
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt.tracon
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	521090
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed clt runway 18L on runway heading. Captain (PNF) noticed aircraft ahead off of runway 18R seemed to be slightly converging. ATC gave us left heading 165 degrees just before we entered a layer of clouds. Captain continued to watch other aircraft on TCASII to confirm paths were diverging. ATC gave us a 090 degree heading to join lills transition. On activation of the navigation mode, our intercept point was just barely south of sdz on sdz 228 degree radial. We are not clear on whether we were north of the clt 112 degree radial to lills and, therefore, would not intercept the radial to lills on a 090 degree heading, or if clt dropped out as our from point and we failed to intercept the radial from clt to lills. In either case, we should have confirmed with ATC since we were bypassing lills. After a few mins, ATC asked us if we were proceeding to lills. Captain replied we were on a 090 degree heading to join, which was direct to sdz (captain mistakenly called sdz, sandusky, instead of sandhills). ATC said we were supposed to have gone over lills but he would advise ZDC that we were proceeding to sdz and gave us a frequency change to ZDC. ATC did not indicate there was any traffic conflict and there was none indicated on our TCASII. Captain let his preoccupation with the other aircraft degrade his situational awareness on the SID.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BECAUSE OF DISTR WITH TFC WATCH AND A POSSIBLE POTENTIAL CONFLICT, A DEP A319 FLT CREW FAILS TO FOLLOW THEIR FLT PLAN AND REVISED CLRNC ON DEP FROM CLT, NC.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED CLT RWY 18L ON RWY HDG. CAPT (PNF) NOTICED ACFT AHEAD OFF OF RWY 18R SEEMED TO BE SLIGHTLY CONVERGING. ATC GAVE US L HDG 165 DEGS JUST BEFORE WE ENTERED A LAYER OF CLOUDS. CAPT CONTINUED TO WATCH OTHER ACFT ON TCASII TO CONFIRM PATHS WERE DIVERGING. ATC GAVE US A 090 DEG HDG TO JOIN LILLS TRANSITION. ON ACTIVATION OF THE NAV MODE, OUR INTERCEPT POINT WAS JUST BARELY S OF SDZ ON SDZ 228 DEG RADIAL. WE ARE NOT CLR ON WHETHER WE WERE N OF THE CLT 112 DEG RADIAL TO LILLS AND, THEREFORE, WOULD NOT INTERCEPT THE RADIAL TO LILLS ON A 090 DEG HDG, OR IF CLT DROPPED OUT AS OUR FROM POINT AND WE FAILED TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL FROM CLT TO LILLS. IN EITHER CASE, WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED WITH ATC SINCE WE WERE BYPASSING LILLS. AFTER A FEW MINS, ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE PROCEEDING TO LILLS. CAPT REPLIED WE WERE ON A 090 DEG HDG TO JOIN, WHICH WAS DIRECT TO SDZ (CAPT MISTAKENLY CALLED SDZ, SANDUSKY, INSTEAD OF SANDHILLS). ATC SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE OVER LILLS BUT HE WOULD ADVISE ZDC THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING TO SDZ AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO ZDC. ATC DID NOT INDICATE THERE WAS ANY TFC CONFLICT AND THERE WAS NONE INDICATED ON OUR TCASII. CAPT LET HIS PREOCCUPATION WITH THE OTHER ACFT DEGRADE HIS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON THE SID.

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.

Because of distraction with traffic watch and a possible potential conflict, a departure A319 flight crew fails to follow their flight plan and revised clearance on departure from clt, nc.