Narrative:

I was the PF. We asked for a Z taxiway intersection departure on runway 18L and were cleared to hold short of runway 18L on taxiway Z. Another MD80 departed from wf on runway 18L. Shortly after he passed us; tower cleared us for takeoff from intersection Z. I delayed application of takeoff power until the preceding aircraft was definitely airborne. We then executed the takeoff roll. During the initial climb; we encountered the preceding aircraft's wake turbulence. At that time the winds were out of the sse; so I drifted slightly to the left of the magenta line to get out of the turbulence which seemed to be located right on centerline. Departure soon asked us what we were doing and I replied we were attempting to avoid the wake turbulence. As far as I could tell; we never deviated more than one DOT off the course deviation indicator on the pfd on the 10 mile range. We were subsequently cleared direct to slott; then told to pick up a heading to get proper traffic separation. Eventually we were cleared to resume our own navigation. I believe the problem started when tower cleared us for takeoff a bit sooner than he should have. I also suspect the fact we were light weight (better perf) and that we took off from an intersection as opposed to full length (like the previous aircraft) contributed to us getting into the wake turbulence. Had our takeoff clearance been delayed a few more seconds; I do believe this whole event could have been avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 DEVIATES SLIGHTLY FROM DEP COURSE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURB PRODUCED BY ANOTHER MD80 DEPARTING THE SAME RWY AT DFW.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF. WE ASKED FOR A Z TXWY INTXN DEP ON RWY 18L AND WERE CLRED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18L ON TXWY Z. ANOTHER MD80 DEPARTED FROM WF ON RWY 18L. SHORTLY AFTER HE PASSED US; TWR CLRED US FOR TAKEOFF FROM INTXN Z. I DELAYED APPLICATION OF TAKEOFF PWR UNTIL THE PRECEDING ACFT WAS DEFINITELY AIRBORNE. WE THEN EXECUTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL. DURING THE INITIAL CLB; WE ENCOUNTERED THE PRECEDING ACFT'S WAKE TURB. AT THAT TIME THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SSE; SO I DRIFTED SLIGHTLY TO THE L OF THE MAGENTA LINE TO GET OUT OF THE TURB WHICH SEEMED TO BE LOCATED RIGHT ON CTRLINE. DEP SOON ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING AND I REPLIED WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THE WAKE TURB. AS FAR AS I COULD TELL; WE NEVER DEVIATED MORE THAN ONE DOT OFF THE COURSE DEVIATION INDICATOR ON THE PFD ON THE 10 MILE RANGE. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED DIRECT TO SLOTT; THEN TOLD TO PICK UP A HEADING TO GET PROPER TFC SEPARATION. EVENTUALLY WE WERE CLRED TO RESUME OUR OWN NAV. I BELIEVE THE PROB STARTED WHEN TWR CLRED US FOR TAKEOFF A BIT SOONER THAN HE SHOULD HAVE. I ALSO SUSPECT THE FACT WE WERE LIGHT WT (BETTER PERF) AND THAT WE TOOK OFF FROM AN INTXN AS OPPOSED TO FULL LENGTH (LIKE THE PREVIOUS ACFT) CONTRIBUTED TO US GETTING INTO THE WAKE TURB. HAD OUR TKOF CLRNC BEEN DELAYED A FEW MORE SECONDS; I DO BELIEVE THIS WHOLE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.