Deviation from ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	136907
Time
Date	199002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwz airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	136907
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	136911
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was called out on reserve for an equipment substitution. The aircraft scheduled to do the flight had a mechanical problem. When I arrived at the airport we were already an hour late. We flew to newark, turned the aircraft quickly, and departed for dayton. We were cleared via a 'newark three' SID to, I believe, 'eliot'. 'Eliot's' off of the 'sparta' VOR (250 degree/30 mi). On the SID, however, 'sparta' is just above 'broadway' and I set up a fix using 'broadway'. The fives and vors are close to each other as well as radials being parallel to each other. Once airborne I was told to fly a heading, intercept a course and proceed as cleared. I did this but was tracking 'broadway' radial, not the 'sparta' radial. ATC saw me turn, requested my heading and, I believe, my position. I responded with heading and the radial I was tracking. I was heading southwest and he turned me northwest and pointed out traffic 1000' above me and 5 mi away. A few minutes later ATC cleared me on course but specified the radial I was to intercept. The other pilot wasn't a factor as he was off frequency talking to company and therefore blameless.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVIATION FROM ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED OUT ON RESERVE FOR AN EQUIP SUBSTITUTION. THE ACFT SCHEDULED TO DO THE FLT HAD A MECHANICAL PROB. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT WE WERE ALREADY AN HR LATE. WE FLEW TO NEWARK, TURNED THE ACFT QUICKLY, AND DEPARTED FOR DAYTON. WE WERE CLRED VIA A 'NEWARK THREE' SID TO, I BELIEVE, 'ELIOT'. 'ELIOT'S' OFF OF THE 'SPARTA' VOR (250 DEG/30 MI). ON THE SID, HOWEVER, 'SPARTA' IS JUST ABOVE 'BROADWAY' AND I SET UP A FIX USING 'BROADWAY'. THE FIVES AND VORS ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AS WELL AS RADIALS BEING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. ONCE AIRBORNE I WAS TOLD TO FLY A HDG, INTERCEPT A COURSE AND PROCEED AS CLRED. I DID THIS BUT WAS TRACKING 'BROADWAY' RADIAL, NOT THE 'SPARTA' RADIAL. ATC SAW ME TURN, REQUESTED MY HDG AND, I BELIEVE, MY POS. I RESPONDED WITH HDG AND THE RADIAL I WAS TRACKING. I WAS HDG SW AND HE TURNED ME NW AND POINTED OUT TFC 1000' ABOVE ME AND 5 MI AWAY. A FEW MINUTES LATER ATC CLRED ME ON COURSE BUT SPECIFIED THE RADIAL I WAS TO INTERCEPT. THE OTHER PLT WASN'T A FACTOR AS HE WAS OFF FREQ TALKING TO COMPANY AND THEREFORE BLAMELESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.