Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Total 10800
Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
The departure requires that aircraft remain at or below 1;700 ft. until crossing the [VORTAC] 102 radial; at which time there is a required turn to a heading of 213 degrees. The departure had been set up in the FMS with VNAV engaged and the top altitude set at 4;000 ft.; which was assigned in the clearance. This set up procedure was consistent with that specified in company [training course]. Approaching 400 ft. AGL; Tower instructed us to start our turn and contact Departure. This was very confusing because we had not yet reached the fix for the turn. Because the FO (First Officer) was immediately responding to Tower and then contacting Departure; I was unable to command 'autopilot on'; 'set heading'; and 'set climb power;' and it was then that the V-bars suddenly disappeared from the PFD (Primary Flight Display). Without any other heading indicator at that moment; I manually started turning toward the direction of the HSI course indicator; which was pointed toward about 225 degrees. I was mostly focused on pitch and power to stay under 1;700 ft. Things were happening very fast; and the controller asked our heading and issued a low altitude alert (I had all the terrain in sight). The FO was trying to clarify ATC's instructions and ask for a vector to the next fix; but the MFD map display froze and he couldn't immediately identify that fix. Meanwhile; I readjusted my heading and the controller issued a climb to 7;000 ft. He then asked us to call on the phone due a possible pilot deviation. Afterwards; I tried several ways to get the FD to reappear; including turning it on and off; but the only thing that finally made any difference was pressing the pitch sync button. After that; the avionics continued to behave erratically during our flight because the map display remained frozen and there were instances where the autopilot overshot heading changes. After landing; we reported the flight director malfunctions to Maintenance and entered squawks in the maintenance log. They issued deferments under the MEL; and the remaining two legs were hand flown without the use of any flight director or autopilot; and the aircraft was brought in for maintenance at ZZZ1. Although the immediate causes of this incident were the confusing instruction of the Tower Controller and malfunction of the flight director at just the wrong time; it would have helped if I had made a better mental note of the turn direction instead of relying on having the FO to reset the heading bug. I was mostly focused on flying the flight director and remaining below the 1;700 ft. climb limit. The company requires us to use the flight director; but this also tends to reduce one's situational awareness; unlike flying 'raw data'.
King Air Captain reported flight display failures on departure and other avionics and autopilot issues during flight.