Narrative:

We were given a heading nwbnd to intercept J-149. We selected LNAV which armed (white) and proceeded on heading select. As we crossed the course, LNAV did not capture and that we noticed right away. The captain gave us direct intercept to 'the first fix on the legs page.' after 'executing', the magenta course line I saw looked good (nearly 281 degree aml which we also had as green fix line). LNAV captured this and we continued (now out of about 12-15 thousand). The captain called the first F/a up to the cockpit to find out what the noise was on rotation and we found that when they boarded extra soft drinks, ground service failed to lock the galley door and glass broke in first class and coach!! This discussion occurred about 15-20 thousand ft. At that time center called and asked if we were on an assigned heading. 'No, we showed on course J-149.' center said he had us 5 mi north of J-149 and we realized that magenta line was lying to us (our fault). Center had no conflict so we reintercepted. Now about 25 thousand. What followed was a discussion about CDU work. We had a jumpseat rider on board going thru training on this aircraft asking particularly about CDU. It seems that when the captain gave me direct intercept to 'the first fix on the legs page', he was on route 2 and selected HVQ65 (not on route 1 which was active). As we discovered and discussed this error our personal pride was hurting and we increased our vigilance so nothing further would go wrong. Now level at 39,000 we returned to normal routine, but silently and vocally vowed to tighten up. Approximately 10 mins into the cruise, center called again. 'We show you at 38,100'.' sure enough, with all the confusion we had not changed altimeters at 18,000. Again it was not a problem to ATC -- we climbed up to our assigned altitude -- but we really had to question ourselves. The flight had no further abnormalities and finished with a normal landing 22R ord. The big word is distraction. So many things come up and you get out of your normal ritual -- and you think you can handle it. I'm new to the widebody transport, but my present feeling is that there is too much going on -- even (or especially) with all the new electronic aids(?) -- for a 2-MAN crew. And we didn't have any emergency or difficult irregularity!!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK HEADING AND POSITION DEVIATION BOTHERS FLT CREW. THEY THEN UNDERSHOT ALT ASSIGNED.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A HDG NWBND TO INTERCEPT J-149. WE SELECTED LNAV WHICH ARMED (WHITE) AND PROCEEDED ON HDG SELECT. AS WE CROSSED THE COURSE, LNAV DID NOT CAPTURE AND THAT WE NOTICED RIGHT AWAY. THE CAPT GAVE US DIRECT INTERCEPT TO 'THE FIRST FIX ON THE LEGS PAGE.' AFTER 'EXECUTING', THE MAGENTA COURSE LINE I SAW LOOKED GOOD (NEARLY 281 DEG AML WHICH WE ALSO HAD AS GREEN FIX LINE). LNAV CAPTURED THIS AND WE CONTINUED (NOW OUT OF ABOUT 12-15 THOUSAND). THE CAPT CALLED THE FIRST F/A UP TO THE COCKPIT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NOISE WAS ON ROTATION AND WE FOUND THAT WHEN THEY BOARDED EXTRA SOFT DRINKS, GND SERVICE FAILED TO LOCK THE GALLEY DOOR AND GLASS BROKE IN FIRST CLASS AND COACH!! THIS DISCUSSION OCCURRED ABOUT 15-20 THOUSAND FT. AT THAT TIME CENTER CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG. 'NO, WE SHOWED ON COURSE J-149.' CENTER SAID HE HAD US 5 MI N OF J-149 AND WE REALIZED THAT MAGENTA LINE WAS LYING TO US (OUR FAULT). CENTER HAD NO CONFLICT SO WE REINTERCEPTED. NOW ABOUT 25 THOUSAND. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT CDU WORK. WE HAD A JUMPSEAT RIDER ON BOARD GOING THRU TRAINING ON THIS ACFT ASKING PARTICULARLY ABOUT CDU. IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THE CAPT GAVE ME DIRECT INTERCEPT TO 'THE FIRST FIX ON THE LEGS PAGE', HE WAS ON ROUTE 2 AND SELECTED HVQ65 (NOT ON RTE 1 WHICH WAS ACTIVE). AS WE DISCOVERED AND DISCUSSED THIS ERROR OUR PERSONAL PRIDE WAS HURTING AND WE INCREASED OUR VIGILANCE SO NOTHING FURTHER WOULD GO WRONG. NOW LEVEL AT 39,000 WE RETURNED TO NORMAL ROUTINE, BUT SILENTLY AND VOCALLY VOWED TO TIGHTEN UP. APPROX 10 MINS INTO THE CRUISE, CENTER CALLED AGAIN. 'WE SHOW YOU AT 38,100'.' SURE ENOUGH, WITH ALL THE CONFUSION WE HAD NOT CHANGED ALTIMETERS AT 18,000. AGAIN IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM TO ATC -- WE CLIMBED UP TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT -- BUT WE REALLY HAD TO QUESTION OURSELVES. THE FLT HAD NO FURTHER ABNORMALITIES AND FINISHED WITH A NORMAL LNDG 22R ORD. THE BIG WORD IS DISTR. SO MANY THINGS COME UP AND YOU GET OUT OF YOUR NORMAL RITUAL -- AND YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE IT. I'M NEW TO THE WDB, BUT MY PRESENT FEELING IS THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH GOING ON -- EVEN (OR ESPECIALLY) WITH ALL THE NEW ELECTRONIC AIDS(?) -- FOR A 2-MAN CREW. AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EMER OR DIFFICULT IRREGULARITY!!

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.