Narrative:

When we called flight attendant to check cabin is ready for takeoff, flight attendant said something about 'surprise me.' considering 'professionalism' demonstrated by other capts I fly with, I did not expect this captain to do anything stupid to satisfy the request by flight attendant, which I thought she was joking anyway. Shortly after takeoff, captain started off with slightly shallower climb than normal, but not too much, then he initiated aggressive, rather sharp turn within 400 ft AGL. I knew there are no obstructions in our way, but it surprised me and it was scary for passenger, not to mention, it was very unprofessional and uncalled for. After that flight, non revenue check airman visited cockpit and raised his concern. I was very upset that this captain did that maneuver. In retrospect, maybe I should have been more sensitive to any comment which might lead into unprofessionalism. We all expect other pilots to fly SOP's for safety and to prevent such surprises. This event made me realize the importance of sticking with SOP even more. During my aviation career, I am sure to come across other capts with 'rather cowboy type' attitude like this captain. In that time I will be more prepared, and a simple comment like 'you're not going to do something stupid are you?' might have prevented a situation like this. This type of problem, in my opinion, is in no small way attributed to seniority upgrade system, as this system doesn't filter out persons with less than ideal personality.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CAPT MADE A SHARP TURN 400 FT AGL AFTER TKOF IN RESPONSE TO THE CABIN ATTENDANT STATEMENT DURING PRETKOF 'SURPRISE ME.' THE FO WAS REALLY TAKEN ABACK AND DISAPPOINTED WITH THE UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE CAPT. AN OFF DUTY CHK AIRMAN CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO INQUIRE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE MANEUVER.

Narrative: WHEN WE CALLED FLT ATTENDANT TO CHK CABIN IS READY FOR TKOF, FLT ATTENDANT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT 'SURPRISE ME.' CONSIDERING 'PROFESSIONALISM' DEMONSTRATED BY OTHER CAPTS I FLY WITH, I DID NOT EXPECT THIS CAPT TO DO ANYTHING STUPID TO SATISFY THE REQUEST BY FLT ATTENDANT, WHICH I THOUGHT SHE WAS JOKING ANYWAY. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, CAPT STARTED OFF WITH SLIGHTLY SHALLOWER CLB THAN NORMAL, BUT NOT TOO MUCH, THEN HE INITIATED AGGRESSIVE, RATHER SHARP TURN WITHIN 400 FT AGL. I KNEW THERE ARE NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN OUR WAY, BUT IT SURPRISED ME AND IT WAS SCARY FOR PAX, NOT TO MENTION, IT WAS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNCALLED FOR. AFTER THAT FLT, NON REVENUE CHK AIRMAN VISITED COCKPIT AND RAISED HIS CONCERN. I WAS VERY UPSET THAT THIS CAPT DID THAT MANEUVER. IN RETROSPECT, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SENSITIVE TO ANY COMMENT WHICH MIGHT LEAD INTO UNPROFESSIONALISM. WE ALL EXPECT OTHER PLTS TO FLY SOP'S FOR SAFETY AND TO PREVENT SUCH SURPRISES. THIS EVENT MADE ME REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF STICKING WITH SOP EVEN MORE. DURING MY AVIATION CAREER, I AM SURE TO COME ACROSS OTHER CAPTS WITH 'RATHER COWBOY TYPE' ATTITUDE LIKE THIS CAPT. IN THAT TIME I WILL BE MORE PREPARED, AND A SIMPLE COMMENT LIKE 'YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO SOMETHING STUPID ARE YOU?' MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED A SIT LIKE THIS. THIS TYPE OF PROB, IN MY OPINION, IS IN NO SMALL WAY ATTRIBUTED TO SENIORITY UPGRADE SYS, AS THIS SYS DOESN'T FILTER OUT PERSONS WITH LESS THAN IDEAL PERSONALITY.

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.