Narrative:

Aircraft was on flight atl-sjc routed over chs direct metta, direct jesse, green 431 cavel to sju. Outbnd prior to chs we received clearance direct to jesse. Omega navigation was in use. Prior to reaching 77 degrees west, we received descent to FL270 from ZJX, which we complied with, and were cleared to en route radio. This is an HF frequency. I have flown this route frequently and at that time changed the assigned jax VHF frequency to 132.3, a frequency that we would normally pick up at bours, approximately 45 mins later. In the course of changing frequency I accidentally disengaged the autoplt switch. This in turn knocked off the auxiliary-navigation system (omega) coupled to the autoplt. I reset the autoplt but did not reset the omega. I then spent the next 25 mins attempting to contact ny commercial radio on 4 separate HF frequencys, and finally relayed a position report to mia via another aircraft on VHF 132.3. I was unable to establish HF communication although a satisfactory radio check was obtained previously. As the omega read approaching bours, I attempted to contact mia directly on 132.3 but was unable to reach them. We again relayed position reports via another aircraft, and I felt that at our altitude (FL270) we were out of radio range. We would try at next position, closer to transmitter site. Approaching tooms I attempted contact with mia. It was then I noticed that the auxiliary-navigation was not coupled to the autoplt. We had continued on heading outbnd from jesse and did not turn on green 431 as filed. A quick check showed our position 074 degrees, 84 mi east of tooms, or 80 mi east of our filed route of flight. In retrospect, I can look back and see items that could have prevented this. When I knocked off the autoplt, I should have let the PF reset it. He would have reset the autoplt navigation-selector to auxiliary-navigation, thus re-engaging the autoplt. Preoccupation with establishing communications on HF and relaying 'position' reports through other aircraft kept me from noting that we were off course (and off navigation). This preoccupation kept me from checking omega latitude/long readouts to check our on course position, and comply with normal procedures. Cockpit preoccupation with industry problems leads the mind to wander elsewhere in cruise. These should be left on the ground (hard to do).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT GROSS NAVIGATIONAL ERROR ON OVER WATER ROUTE TO SJU.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON FLT ATL-SJC ROUTED OVER CHS DIRECT METTA, DIRECT JESSE, GREEN 431 CAVEL TO SJU. OUTBND PRIOR TO CHS WE RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT TO JESSE. OMEGA NAV WAS IN USE. PRIOR TO REACHING 77 DEGS W, WE RECEIVED DSCNT TO FL270 FROM ZJX, WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH, AND WERE CLRED TO ENRTE RADIO. THIS IS AN HF FREQ. I HAVE FLOWN THIS ROUTE FREQUENTLY AND AT THAT TIME CHANGED THE ASSIGNED JAX VHF FREQ TO 132.3, A FREQ THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY PICK UP AT BOURS, APPROX 45 MINS LATER. IN THE COURSE OF CHANGING FREQ I ACCIDENTALLY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT SWITCH. THIS IN TURN KNOCKED OFF THE AUX-NAV SYS (OMEGA) COUPLED TO THE AUTOPLT. I RESET THE AUTOPLT BUT DID NOT RESET THE OMEGA. I THEN SPENT THE NEXT 25 MINS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT NY COMMERCIAL RADIO ON 4 SEPARATE HF FREQS, AND FINALLY RELAYED A POS RPT TO MIA VIA ANOTHER ACFT ON VHF 132.3. I WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH HF COM ALTHOUGH A SATISFACTORY RADIO CHK WAS OBTAINED PREVIOUSLY. AS THE OMEGA READ APCHING BOURS, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MIA DIRECTLY ON 132.3 BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THEM. WE AGAIN RELAYED POS RPTS VIA ANOTHER ACFT, AND I FELT THAT AT OUR ALT (FL270) WE WERE OUT OF RADIO RANGE. WE WOULD TRY AT NEXT POS, CLOSER TO XMITTER SITE. APCHING TOOMS I ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH MIA. IT WAS THEN I NOTICED THAT THE AUX-NAV WAS NOT COUPLED TO THE AUTOPLT. WE HAD CONTINUED ON HDG OUTBND FROM JESSE AND DID NOT TURN ON GREEN 431 AS FILED. A QUICK CHK SHOWED OUR POS 074 DEGS, 84 MI E OF TOOMS, OR 80 MI E OF OUR FILED ROUTE OF FLT. IN RETROSPECT, I CAN LOOK BACK AND SEE ITEMS THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. WHEN I KNOCKED OFF THE AUTOPLT, I SHOULD HAVE LET THE PF RESET IT. HE WOULD HAVE RESET THE AUTOPLT NAV-SELECTOR TO AUX-NAV, THUS RE-ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT. PREOCCUPATION WITH ESTABLISHING COMS ON HF AND RELAYING 'POS' RPTS THROUGH OTHER ACFT KEPT ME FROM NOTING THAT WE WERE OFF COURSE (AND OFF NAV). THIS PREOCCUPATION KEPT ME FROM CHKING OMEGA LAT/LONG READOUTS TO CHK OUR ON COURSE POS, AND COMPLY WITH NORMAL PROCS. COCKPIT PREOCCUPATION WITH INDUSTRY PROBS LEADS THE MIND TO WANDER ELSEWHERE IN CRUISE. THESE SHOULD BE LEFT ON THE GND (HARD TO DO).

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.