Crj-700 flight crew reports being given a heading then cleared direct to a VOR. The FMC is programme...

Narrative:

Air traffic control assigned 5 degrees right. Heading mode was executed and the aircraft turned 5 degrees right. The controller then assigned direct bam. The pilot flying inserted bam in the FMS; I verified the waypoint with the pilot monitoring and the pilot flying executed it. The pilot flying then brought his hand up to the fcp and pressed navigation. Navigation mode did not engage; but this was not recognized until air traffic control asked us to turn 15 degrees right and proceed direct bam when able. We instantly realized the mistake and immediately turned an additional 15 degrees right. The pilot flying put the correct waypoint in the FMS. Both the pilot flying and I verified the correct waypoint. The FMS was then executed and the pilot flying pressed navigation mode on the fcp but both the pilot flying and I failed to verify navigation mode had been displayed and captured on the FMA. I suggest the SOP mandates pilots verbalize the capture of navigation mode on the FMA. I would even suggest both the pilot flying and the pilot monitoring should be required to verbalize it. Similar concept to putting an altitude in the alerter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-700 flight crew reports being given a heading then cleared direct to a VOR. The FMC is programmed but the NAV button is not pushed firmly enough to engage; resulting in a track deviation and loss of separation.

Narrative: Air Traffic Control assigned 5 degrees right. HDG mode was executed and the aircraft turned 5 degrees right. The Controller then assigned Direct BAM. The pilot flying inserted BAM in the FMS; I verified the waypoint with the pilot monitoring and the pilot flying executed it. The pilot flying then brought his hand up to the FCP and pressed NAV. NAV mode did not engage; but this was not recognized until Air Traffic Control asked us to turn 15 degrees right and proceed direct BAM when able. We instantly realized the mistake and immediately turned an additional 15 degrees right. The pilot flying put the correct waypoint in the FMS. Both the pilot flying and I verified the correct waypoint. The FMS was then executed and the pilot flying pressed NAV mode on the FCP but both the pilot flying and I failed to verify NAV mode had been displayed and captured on the FMA. I suggest the SOP mandates pilots verbalize the capture of NAV mode on the FMA. I would even suggest both the pilot flying and the pilot monitoring should be required to verbalize it. Similar concept to putting an altitude in the alerter.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1156060
Time
Date	201403
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZLC.ARTCC
State Reference	UT
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	FMS/FMC
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Crj-700 flight crew reports being given a heading then cleared direct to a VOR. The FMC is programmed but the navigation button is not pushed firmly enough to engage; resulting in a track deviation and loss of separation.