Air carrier medium large transport track heading deviation during ahd.

Attributes
ACN	163549
Time
Date	199011
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fzt
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	163549
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While holding and waiting for dfw WX to improve, I started working on alternate courses of action with the first officer. We both got busy doing separate things, checking the WX, trying to get a hold of dispatch, etc. We had both been xchking the aircraft all along, however somehow we both got distraction while passing the turn point in the holding pattern and it was a few mi later that I noticed the error and turned back. Another case of good intentions gone awry. During times such as these when things get busy, it becomes impractical to have one person devoting himself entirely to aircraft control and nothing else. Theory has it that the autoplt unloads us enough so the PF can share in some of the other workload, but it doesn't help tell you when a turn is coming (I guess the new ones do). After this error, I dug out my approach timer with audio alarm and used it to alert me of upcoming turn points.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION DURING AHD.

Narrative: WHILE HOLDING AND WAITING FOR DFW WX TO IMPROVE, I STARTED WORKING ON ALTERNATE COURSES OF ACTION WITH THE F/O. WE BOTH GOT BUSY DOING SEPARATE THINGS, CHKING THE WX, TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF DISPATCH, ETC. WE HAD BOTH BEEN XCHKING THE ACFT ALL ALONG, HOWEVER SOMEHOW WE BOTH GOT DISTR WHILE PASSING THE TURN POINT IN THE HOLDING PATTERN AND IT WAS A FEW MI LATER THAT I NOTICED THE ERROR AND TURNED BACK. ANOTHER CASE OF GOOD INTENTIONS GONE AWRY. DURING TIMES SUCH AS THESE WHEN THINGS GET BUSY, IT BECOMES IMPRACTICAL TO HAVE ONE PERSON DEVOTING HIMSELF ENTIRELY TO ACFT CTL AND NOTHING ELSE. THEORY HAS IT THAT THE AUTOPLT UNLOADS US ENOUGH SO THE PF CAN SHARE IN SOME OF THE OTHER WORKLOAD, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP TELL YOU WHEN A TURN IS COMING (I GUESS THE NEW ONES DO). AFTER THIS ERROR, I DUG OUT MY APCH TIMER WITH AUDIO ALARM AND USED IT TO ALERT ME OF UPCOMING TURN POINTS.

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.