Narrative:

While cruising in our filed route of direct drk to tnp our radios were tuned to tnp with an inbound course of 242 degree. We had drifted approximately 1 to 1 1/2 degree left of course and were on a heading of 260 degree to return to course when the abq center controller frequency 132.9 called and instructed us to descend immediately to 280 degree and contact the lax controller on 133.2. We initiated our descent and asked the controller what the problem was. He informed us we were NORDO and 20 mi south of course. We switched to lax frequency 133.2 and advised level at FL280 and asked what was going on. We were told we had been 10 mi south of course and NORDO. We were asked to call the lax controller collect when we arrived in lax. In lax I called ARTCC and asked what the problem was and she informed me we were 5 mi south of course. Supervisor answered the phone and said he had been watching the lax controller at the time in question. When I asked the same question he said we were 6 to 7 mi south of J10. I then pointed out to him that we were not cleared by J10 but a direct route between drk and tnp and the inbound courses are 2 degree different. (J10 in our position being 2 mi further north). At that point name stated that the controller had gotten a little excited and had attacked us prematurely and that he had talked to the abq controllers supervisor about his clearing us direct and his not turning us over to lax sooner. I then explained that I did not like or appreciate being blamed for someone else's mistake and that when an error was committed the controller would go back over the tapes and if the error was the pilot's fault a violation would be filed against the pilot. However if the error was the controller's fault he had only to turn the tape machine off. Controller would not state that the controllers were at fault however he also indicated I had not made an error. He asked what I wished to be done and I stated at the least we deserved an apology from the controllers. I feel we were unjustly accused of being at fault by two controllers when they are the ones that made the error. Every time there is an incident or accident the pilots are blamed, violated, fined, and/or suspended west/O regard to the fact that other people contributed to, or were the cause of the problem. This condition is unfair and unjust.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ALLEGEDLY OFF COURSE.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING IN OUR FILED RTE OF DIRECT DRK TO TNP OUR RADIOS WERE TUNED TO TNP WITH AN INBND COURSE OF 242 DEG. WE HAD DRIFTED APPROX 1 TO 1 1/2 DEG L OF COURSE AND WERE ON A HDG OF 260 DEG TO RETURN TO COURSE WHEN THE ABQ CENTER CTLR FREQ 132.9 CALLED AND INSTRUCTED US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 280 DEG AND CONTACT THE LAX CTLR ON 133.2. WE INITIATED OUR DSCNT AND ASKED THE CTLR WHAT THE PROB WAS. HE INFORMED US WE WERE NORDO AND 20 MI S OF COURSE. WE SWITCHED TO LAX FREQ 133.2 AND ADVISED LEVEL AT FL280 AND ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD BEEN 10 MI S OF COURSE AND NORDO. WE WERE ASKED TO CALL THE LAX CTLR COLLECT WHEN WE ARRIVED IN LAX. IN LAX I CALLED ARTCC AND ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS AND SHE INFORMED ME WE WERE 5 MI S OF COURSE. SUPVR ANSWERED THE PHONE AND SAID HE HAD BEEN WATCHING THE LAX CTLR AT THE TIME IN QUESTION. WHEN I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION HE SAID WE WERE 6 TO 7 MI S OF J10. I THEN POINTED OUT TO HIM THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED BY J10 BUT A DIRECT RTE BTWN DRK AND TNP AND THE INBND COURSES ARE 2 DEG DIFFERENT. (J10 IN OUR POS BEING 2 MI FURTHER N). AT THAT POINT NAME STATED THAT THE CTLR HAD GOTTEN A LITTLE EXCITED AND HAD ATTACKED US PREMATURELY AND THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THE ABQ CTLRS SUPVR ABOUT HIS CLRING US DIRECT AND HIS NOT TURNING US OVER TO LAX SOONER. I THEN EXPLAINED THAT I DID NOT LIKE OR APPRECIATE BEING BLAMED FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S MISTAKE AND THAT WHEN AN ERROR WAS COMMITTED THE CTLR WOULD GO BACK OVER THE TAPES AND IF THE ERROR WAS THE PLT'S FAULT A VIOLATION WOULD BE FILED AGAINST THE PLT. HOWEVER IF THE ERROR WAS THE CTLR'S FAULT HE HAD ONLY TO TURN THE TAPE MACHINE OFF. CTLR WOULD NOT STATE THAT THE CTLRS WERE AT FAULT HOWEVER HE ALSO INDICATED I HAD NOT MADE AN ERROR. HE ASKED WHAT I WISHED TO BE DONE AND I STATED AT THE LEAST WE DESERVED AN APOLOGY FROM THE CTLRS. I FEEL WE WERE UNJUSTLY ACCUSED OF BEING AT FAULT BY TWO CTLRS WHEN THEY ARE THE ONES THAT MADE THE ERROR. EVERY TIME THERE IS AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT THE PLTS ARE BLAMED, VIOLATED, FINED, AND/OR SUSPENDED W/O REGARD TO THE FACT THAT OTHER PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED TO, OR WERE THE CAUSE OF THE PROB. THIS CONDITION IS UNFAIR AND UNJUST.

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.