Narrative:

The flight was en route from tpa to dtw. The first officer was flying the aircraft. It was the second leg of the first officer's IOE (initial operating experience) and it was the first leg in which the first officer was manipulating the controls. The first officer had been a second officer for the last 3 1/2 yrs. The flight was cleared to cross 50 north of dqn (dayton VOR) at FL240. Right about the time we passed the dqn VOR, I told the first officer to monitor ATC and that I was going to copy the dtw ATIS. I also called the company to request a gate. The lead F/a came in at this time to pick up the breakfast trays and to request a wheel chair. I also made a brief announcement to the passenger on the PA. I then returned to ATC. Moments later, cleveland center (frequency 123.9) asked us our heading. The controller then gave us a 340 degree heading to intercept the airway. There was no apparent conflict with other traffic. I then realized that the first officer had set the dqn 025 radial instead of the dqn 008 radial, which is V275 north of dqn. The first officer apparently looked at my HSI and saw 025 set on the window. This of course is the inbound course to svm (salem VOR). I am an experienced pilot instructor/check airman. The workload in today's environment in 2-MAN crew aircraft is reaching unsafe levels. Recommendation: make it mandatory that while a pilot is getting his/her initial operating experience, that a qualified pilot for that position be at an observer's seat. The observer could make the mandatory reports, paperwork, announcements, watch for traffic and serve as a safety backup. I am sending the above recommendation to my airline's flight operations department for consideration. I am available for any additional comments on this matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED COURSE.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS ENRTE FROM TPA TO DTW. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT. IT WAS THE SECOND LEG OF THE F/O'S IOE (INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE) AND IT WAS THE FIRST LEG IN WHICH THE F/O WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS. THE F/O HAD BEEN A S/O FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YRS. THE FLT WAS CLRED TO CROSS 50 N OF DQN (DAYTON VOR) AT FL240. RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME WE PASSED THE DQN VOR, I TOLD THE F/O TO MONITOR ATC AND THAT I WAS GOING TO COPY THE DTW ATIS. I ALSO CALLED THE COMPANY TO REQUEST A GATE. THE LEAD F/A CAME IN AT THIS TIME TO PICK UP THE BREAKFAST TRAYS AND TO REQUEST A WHEEL CHAIR. I ALSO MADE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX ON THE PA. I THEN RETURNED TO ATC. MOMENTS LATER, CLEVELAND CENTER (FREQ 123.9) ASKED US OUR HDG. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A 340 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY. THERE WAS NO APPARENT CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE F/O HAD SET THE DQN 025 RADIAL INSTEAD OF THE DQN 008 RADIAL, WHICH IS V275 N OF DQN. THE F/O APPARENTLY LOOKED AT MY HSI AND SAW 025 SET ON THE WINDOW. THIS OF COURSE IS THE INBND COURSE TO SVM (SALEM VOR). I AM AN EXPERIENCED PLT INSTRUCTOR/CHECK AIRMAN. THE WORKLOAD IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT IN 2-MAN CREW ACFT IS REACHING UNSAFE LEVELS. RECOMMENDATION: MAKE IT MANDATORY THAT WHILE A PLT IS GETTING HIS/HER INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE, THAT A QUALIFIED PLT FOR THAT POSITION BE AT AN OBSERVER'S SEAT. THE OBSERVER COULD MAKE THE MANDATORY REPORTS, PAPERWORK, ANNOUNCEMENTS, WATCH FOR TFC AND SERVE AS A SAFETY BACKUP. I AM SENDING THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATION TO MY AIRLINE'S FLT OPERATIONS DEPT FOR CONSIDERATION. I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS MATTER.

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.