An A320 crew, departing dca, deviated from the published departure procedure.

Attributes
ACN	533195
Time
Date	200112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	533195
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Standard departure out of dca on runway 1 is to track out on the 328 degree radial, using toga (full power) and climb at green day (best left/D) up to 5000 ft MSL. Due to choppy air, as the thrust levers were brought back out of toga they were bumped back into toga momentarily. This put the aircraft into the go around mode which means it tracks straight out and will not be in the navigation model as our flight path began to angle away from our intended course, as shown on the navigation display, we immediately corrected our course and contacted ATC. ATC said there was no problem. Due to new procedure, the deck angle on climb out is very high. Had we been able to see the river, it would have led to a quicker recognition of the problem. Very busy time, with power changes and aircraft re-confign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW, DEPARTING DCA, DEVIATED FROM THE PUBLISHED DEP PROC.

Narrative: STANDARD DEP OUT OF DCA ON RWY 1 IS TO TRACK OUT ON THE 328 DEG RADIAL, USING TOGA (FULL PWR) AND CLB AT GREEN DAY (BEST L/D) UP TO 5000 FT MSL. DUE TO CHOPPY AIR, AS THE THRUST LEVERS WERE BROUGHT BACK OUT OF TOGA THEY WERE BUMPED BACK INTO TOGA MOMENTARILY. THIS PUT THE ACFT INTO THE GAR MODE WHICH MEANS IT TRACKS STRAIGHT OUT AND WILL NOT BE IN THE NAV MODEL AS OUR FLT PATH BEGAN TO ANGLE AWAY FROM OUR INTENDED COURSE, AS SHOWN ON THE NAV DISPLAY, WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED OUR COURSE AND CONTACTED ATC. ATC SAID THERE WAS NO PROB. DUE TO NEW PROC, THE DECK ANGLE ON CLBOUT IS VERY HIGH. HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE RIVER, IT WOULD HAVE LED TO A QUICKER RECOGNITION OF THE PROB. VERY BUSY TIME, WITH PWR CHANGES AND ACFT RE-CONFIGN.

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.