Air carrier widebody transport track heading deviation flying airway route.

Attributes
ACN	171080
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : obh
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j10
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	171080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other anomaly other
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:

During en route flight, crew had received a message from flight operations that they had been selected for a random urinalysis upon landing. During the ensuing discussion, the wrong right was selected for the outbnd arwy. 241 degree was selected versus 251 degree. This went undetected for about 30 mi. I selected 241 degree and corrected back to on course. No controller actions were noted and no apparent conflict occurred. The drug testing message caused quite a stir and, I maintain, this deviation. I suggest that non-flight related messages be held until the aircraft is parked. I noticed the error when I tuned in the next VOR and saw the CDI not centered as is usually the case. A quick cross-check revealed the problem. The other two crewmen did not notice the deviation and subsequent correction due to the discussion and its passion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TRACK HEADING DEVIATION FLYING AIRWAY ROUTE.

Narrative: DURING ENRTE FLT, CREW HAD RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM FLT OPS THAT THEY HAD BEEN SELECTED FOR A RANDOM URINALYSIS UPON LNDG. DURING THE ENSUING DISCUSSION, THE WRONG R WAS SELECTED FOR THE OUTBND ARWY. 241 DEG WAS SELECTED VERSUS 251 DEG. THIS WENT UNDETECTED FOR ABOUT 30 MI. I SELECTED 241 DEG AND CORRECTED BACK TO ON COURSE. NO CTLR ACTIONS WERE NOTED AND NO APPARENT CONFLICT OCCURRED. THE DRUG TESTING MESSAGE CAUSED QUITE A STIR AND, I MAINTAIN, THIS DEV. I SUGGEST THAT NON-FLT RELATED MESSAGES BE HELD UNTIL THE ACFT IS PARKED. I NOTICED THE ERROR WHEN I TUNED IN THE NEXT VOR AND SAW THE CDI NOT CENTERED AS IS USUALLY THE CASE. A QUICK CROSS-CHK REVEALED THE PROB. THE OTHER TWO CREWMEN DID NOT NOTICE THE DEV AND SUBSEQUENT CORRECTION DUE TO THE DISCUSSION AND ITS PASSION.

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.