Air carrier large transport track heading deviation. Non adherence to ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	110209
Time
Date	198905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj airport : lga
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 625
ASRS Report	110209
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route, omega coupled to autoplt. We were cleared direct to a VOR on the milton 5 arrival to lga. First officer was flying and after reaching fix, navigated the arrival off #2 VOR. Outbnd off the sbj 115 degree right, approaching empyr intersection, first officer transitioned to the captain's CDI, which had the cri 256 degree right, and set his dci (#2) on the lga 221 degree right for the turn 11 NM later. Captain's rad/navigation switch for omega still in navigation position, resulting in true heading being displayed on captain's CDI. Estimate off course deviation 1 mi. On the widebody transport aircraft operated by the same company, 'rad-navigation' switches is a slide on the F/east's mechanical landing checklist; but not on their large transport aircraft. If it had been, it's possible this course deviation might have been avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE, OMEGA COUPLED TO AUTOPLT. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO A VOR ON THE MILTON 5 ARR TO LGA. F/O WAS FLYING AND AFTER REACHING FIX, NAVIGATED THE ARR OFF #2 VOR. OUTBND OFF THE SBJ 115 DEG R, APCHING EMPYR INTXN, F/O TRANSITIONED TO THE CAPT'S CDI, WHICH HAD THE CRI 256 DEG R, AND SET HIS DCI (#2) ON THE LGA 221 DEG R FOR THE TURN 11 NM LATER. CAPT'S RAD/NAV SWITCH FOR OMEGA STILL IN NAV POS, RESULTING IN TRUE HDG BEING DISPLAYED ON CAPT'S CDI. ESTIMATE OFF COURSE DEVIATION 1 MI. ON THE WDB ACFT OPERATED BY THE SAME COMPANY, 'RAD-NAV' SWITCHES IS A SLIDE ON THE F/E'S MECHANICAL LNDG CHKLIST; BUT NOT ON THEIR LGT ACFT. IF IT HAD BEEN, IT'S POSSIBLE THIS COURSE DEVIATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

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.