Air carrier aircraft failed to intercept airway at junction of intersecting airways.

Attributes
ACN	110444
Time
Date	198905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j518
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19200 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	110444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We had been having trouble with the first officer's VOR scalloping and indicating left of course when we were right of course. It had been written up in cle and supposedly checked ok on the ground, but it wasn't doing well in flight. We were southeast of aco VOR on J518. We were supposed to intercept J152 eastbound to jst VOR, but the first officer's VOR again was leading us astray as center called and wanted to know if we were going to intercept J152 or not. Apparently the first officer's VOR showed that we hadn't quite intercepted yet, but in fact we had gone through it. I quickly switched to auxiliary VOR for the first officer's main VOR and we began to get correct indications. Center cleared us direct jst and then flight route. I'm presuming we did not create a conflict. I guess there's just no way to ensure perfect navigation all the time; glad to have center radar as a backup.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT FAILED TO INTERCEPT AIRWAY AT JUNCTION OF INTERSECTING AIRWAYS.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE F/O'S VOR SCALLOPING AND INDICATING LEFT OF COURSE WHEN WE WERE RIGHT OF COURSE. IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP IN CLE AND SUPPOSEDLY CHKED OK ON THE GND, BUT IT WASN'T DOING WELL IN FLT. WE WERE SE OF ACO VOR ON J518. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO INTERCEPT J152 EBND TO JST VOR, BUT THE F/O'S VOR AGAIN WAS LEADING US ASTRAY AS CENTER CALLED AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO INTERCEPT J152 OR NOT. APPARENTLY THE F/O'S VOR SHOWED THAT WE HADN'T QUITE INTERCEPTED YET, BUT IN FACT WE HAD GONE THROUGH IT. I QUICKLY SWITCHED TO AUX VOR FOR THE F/O'S MAIN VOR AND WE BEGAN TO GET CORRECT INDICATIONS. CENTER CLRED US DIRECT JST AND THEN FLT ROUTE. I'M PRESUMING WE DID NOT CREATE A CONFLICT. I GUESS THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO ENSURE PERFECT NAV ALL THE TIME; GLAD TO HAVE CENTER RADAR AS A BACKUP.

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.