Narrative:

Location: southwest of cri, departure. We were cleared the kennedy nine departure breezy point climb off runway 31L at jfk. The first officer was flying and I briefed the departure. The FMS was loaded properly for the departure with a discontinuity after cri 223 degree radial since we were expecting a vector off this radial to the next fix which was rbv. I had the radar on as there were rain showers in the area. This was an airplane with a radar I didn't have a lot of experience with, and I was adjusting the tilt trying to clear the screen of a lot of clutter and false returns which was obscuring my view of the course we were flying. After cri the first officer closed the discontinuity on the FMS which caused the aircraft to turn directly toward rbv before ATC had cleared us to go direct. This kept us west of the cri 223 degrees which we were supposed to be tracking. The first officer did not inform me of the change he made to the FMS, and since he has an FMS on his side I did not see him make the change. ATC asked if we were assigned a heading, as they noted our tracking error. We then vectored back to the cri 223 degrees and later cleared direct to rbv. We didn't deviate that far off course and ATC didn't seem too concerned. In the future I will brief the for to notify me of any change they make to the FMS on sids and stars, and I realize this is standard procedure to do this. Supplemental information from acn 599080: programming FMS on aircraft, had route discontinuity between crn. Canarsie VOR and rbv -- closed gap and checked route/legs for departure. Did not notice after crn. On departing the 233 degree radial does not go direct rbv. Upon flying departure, we were just to the west of departure route when departure asked if we were on a vector. Figured that hint out quickly and corrected back toward proper course and was then given a heading also to correct. My error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEV BY A DEP MD83 ON THE CRI DEP PROC W OF JFK, NY.

Narrative: LOCATION: SW OF CRI, DEP. WE WERE CLRED THE KENNEDY NINE DEP BREEZY POINT CLB OFF RWY 31L AT JFK. THE FO WAS FLYING AND I BRIEFED THE DEP. THE FMS WAS LOADED PROPERLY FOR THE DEP WITH A DISCONTINUITY AFTER CRI 223 DEG RADIAL SINCE WE WERE EXPECTING A VECTOR OFF THIS RADIAL TO THE NEXT FIX WHICH WAS RBV. I HAD THE RADAR ON AS THERE WERE RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA. THIS WAS AN AIRPLANE WITH A RADAR I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH, AND I WAS ADJUSTING THE TILT TRYING TO CLR THE SCREEN OF A LOT OF CLUTTER AND FALSE RETURNS WHICH WAS OBSCURING MY VIEW OF THE COURSE WE WERE FLYING. AFTER CRI THE FO CLOSED THE DISCONTINUITY ON THE FMS WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO TURN DIRECTLY TOWARD RBV BEFORE ATC HAD CLRED US TO GO DIRECT. THIS KEPT US W OF THE CRI 223 DEGS WHICH WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TRACKING. THE FO DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE CHANGE HE MADE TO THE FMS, AND SINCE HE HAS AN FMS ON HIS SIDE I DID NOT SEE HIM MAKE THE CHANGE. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE ASSIGNED A HEADING, AS THEY NOTED OUR TRACKING ERROR. WE THEN VECTORED BACK TO THE CRI 223 DEGS AND LATER CLRED DIRECT TO RBV. WE DIDN'T DEVIATE THAT FAR OFF COURSE AND ATC DIDN'T SEEM TOO CONCERNED. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BRIEF THE FOR TO NOTIFY ME OF ANY CHANGE THEY MAKE TO THE FMS ON SIDS AND STARS, AND I REALIZE THIS IS STANDARD PROC TO DO THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 599080: PROGRAMMING FMS ON ACFT, HAD RTE DISCONTINUITY BTWN CRN. CANARSIE VOR AND RBV -- CLOSED GAP AND CHKED RTE/LEGS FOR DEP. DID NOT NOTICE AFTER CRN. ON DEPARTING THE 233 DEG RADIAL DOES NOT GO DIRECT RBV. UPON FLYING DEP, WE WERE JUST TO THE W OF DEP RTE WHEN DEP ASKED IF WE WERE ON A VECTOR. FIGURED THAT HINT OUT QUICKLY AND CORRECTED BACK TOWARD PROPER COURSE AND WAS THEN GIVEN A HEADING ALSO TO CORRECT. MY ERROR.

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.