B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Type 564
Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
We were on the [SID] from [the Airport]. We took off in LNAV; which I verified silently at 400 FT because the Captain doesn't make any calls or communicate in any way. Sometime between 400 FT and when we were supposed to start the turn (at 1.8 DME); the Captain tried to press Level Change but inadvertently selected HEADING mode. Since the autopilot was on; the aircraft followed runway heading and didn't make the turn. I was calling Departure and didn't notice that he had changed modes. When we realized the error; he started a turn to heading 123; but since we had started the turn fairly late; we were still off course. During the turn; we got an RA for traffic; but it was not an issue. ATC never said anything to us about the error and eventually gave us a turn to another heading.Some communication between Crew Members would have been helpful. This Captain likes to press a lot of buttons and never keep the First Officer in the loop on what he's working on.
B737-700 First Officer reported that during climb; the Captain tried to press Level Change; but the Captain accidentally pressed Heading Mode Instead.