Air carrier medium large transport track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	95287
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 8400
ASRS Report	95287
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff, flying the loop departure (SID) from sjc, the first officer answered a clearance issued to the aircraft that took off in front of us. This was corrected and while the correction was being sorted out, we received our clearance which was 'turn to a heading of 120 degrees for radar vector to VOR, maintain 10000'.' the 'radar vector' part did not register with the crew. We continued our climb toward the assigned altitude and at 7000' started our turn toward the VOR. The controller caught the turn and stopped us with a new heading: 'maintain present heading.' the remainder of the departure was uneventful, there was no traffic conflict. This incident was in my mind caused by pilot fatigue. Past experience has shown that missing radio calls and errors in following clrncs is an early indication of pilot fatigue. Recognizing this my copilot and I took steps to increase our awareness. This included drinking coffee, seat back upright, cockpit lights up and talking to each other and closely monitoring the PF. I have also noticed that as flight crew (including F/a's) fatigue increases the conversation becomes hyper to the point of silliness--especially after leaving the aircraft at the end of the trip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, FLYING THE LOOP DEP (SID) FROM SJC, THE F/O ANSWERED A CLRNC ISSUED TO THE ACFT THAT TOOK OFF IN FRONT OF US. THIS WAS CORRECTED AND WHILE THE CORRECTION WAS BEING SORTED OUT, WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC WHICH WAS 'TURN TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS FOR RADAR VECTOR TO VOR, MAINTAIN 10000'.' THE 'RADAR VECTOR' PART DID NOT REGISTER WITH THE CREW. WE CONTINUED OUR CLB TOWARD THE ASSIGNED ALT AND AT 7000' STARTED OUR TURN TOWARD THE VOR. THE CTLR CAUGHT THE TURN AND STOPPED US WITH A NEW HEADING: 'MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG.' THE REMAINDER OF THE DEP WAS UNEVENTFUL, THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. THIS INCIDENT WAS IN MY MIND CAUSED BY PLT FATIGUE. PAST EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT MISSING RADIO CALLS AND ERRORS IN FOLLOWING CLRNCS IS AN EARLY INDICATION OF PLT FATIGUE. RECOGNIZING THIS MY COPLT AND I TOOK STEPS TO INCREASE OUR AWARENESS. THIS INCLUDED DRINKING COFFEE, SEAT BACK UPRIGHT, COCKPIT LIGHTS UP AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND CLOSELY MONITORING THE PF. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT AS FLT CREW (INCLUDING F/A'S) FATIGUE INCREASES THE CONVERSATION BECOMES HYPER TO THE POINT OF SILLINESS--ESPECIALLY AFTER LEAVING THE ACFT AT THE END OF THE TRIP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.