Narrative:

4/tue/89 air carrier xx cae-ord we were en route to but. We received a reroute (direct rbs direct pnt V227 plano direct ord, and descend to FL220). At approximately XA40 the captain and I had both vors set on rbs. I was the PF. Approximately 15 east of rbs the captain and I discussed the course out of pnt as being 003 degrees. The captain then switched his VOR to pnt. When we crossed rbs I initiated a right turn toward the north. Before I reached the north heading, the captain asked me to turn left back toward pnt. At the same time ATC called air carrier xu, followed by 2 calls to air carrier xx. I was already turning back direct pnt in a 30 degree bank, but at 300 KTS indicated a right and left turn used too much airspace to avoid a traffic conflict. I believe this conflict occurred because after discussing the 003 degree course out of pnt, only 15 mi east of rbs, when I passed rbs I perceived us to be over pnt and initiated a turn. Contributing factors: a routing we were not familiar with, me not being vigilant enough as to what VOR I had tuned, the captain switching his radio before reaching rbs, the controller initially calling us air carrier xu, and not enough monitoring by other crew members. Supplemental information from acn 108321: shortly thereafter the second officer and I were conversing about inbound and outbnd gates when the first officer rolled into a turn to the right.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER FLT DEVIATED FROM CLEARED ROUTE AND APPARENTLY WERE INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC CONFLICT.

Narrative: 4/TUE/89 ACR XX CAE-ORD WE WERE ENRTE TO BUT. WE RECEIVED A REROUTE (DIRECT RBS DIRECT PNT V227 PLANO DIRECT ORD, AND DSND TO FL220). AT APPROX XA40 THE CAPT AND I HAD BOTH VORS SET ON RBS. I WAS THE PF. APPROX 15 E OF RBS THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE COURSE OUT OF PNT AS BEING 003 DEGS. THE CAPT THEN SWITCHED HIS VOR TO PNT. WHEN WE CROSSED RBS I INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TOWARD THE N. BEFORE I REACHED THE N HDG, THE CAPT ASKED ME TO TURN LEFT BACK TOWARD PNT. AT THE SAME TIME ATC CALLED ACR XU, FOLLOWED BY 2 CALLS TO ACR XX. I WAS ALREADY TURNING BACK DIRECT PNT IN A 30 DEG BANK, BUT AT 300 KTS INDICATED A RIGHT AND LEFT TURN USED TOO MUCH AIRSPACE TO AVOID A TFC CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THIS CONFLICT OCCURRED BECAUSE AFTER DISCUSSING THE 003 DEG COURSE OUT OF PNT, ONLY 15 MI E OF RBS, WHEN I PASSED RBS I PERCEIVED US TO BE OVER PNT AND INITIATED A TURN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: A ROUTING WE WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, ME NOT BEING VIGILANT ENOUGH AS TO WHAT VOR I HAD TUNED, THE CAPT SWITCHING HIS RADIO BEFORE REACHING RBS, THE CTLR INITIALLY CALLING US ACR XU, AND NOT ENOUGH MONITORING BY OTHER CREW MEMBERS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 108321: SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE S/O AND I WERE CONVERSING ABOUT INBND AND OUTBND GATES WHEN THE F/O ROLLED INTO A TURN TO THE RIGHT.

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.