Narrative:

Had been holding at rome, GA for 30 mins. Atl closed due to thunderstorm. Fix was atl 313B/47 DME. First officer new to aircraft and flying. Watched him enter holding pattern and drive about 3 or 4 perfect pattern. Center then slipped efc another 30 mins, at which time I was in process of contacting dispatcher to check on alternates. Center came on and asked what radial we were using. I told him the atl 313/47 and the noticed we were east of the holding pattern on the non-holding side. Center said we were on the 328 degree right. I said we were correcting back and took a 50 degree cut back to the holding side. Arrived in the pattern just before the turn back outbnd. Nothing further said by ATC. Contributing: new first officer just checked out in right seat 2 months prior. I was loaded with PNF duties and concern for fuel state and possible diversion. F/a told us we had 2 sic passenger due to turbulence. We had already been on duty 8 hours and 3 legs with WX and xwinds 70-90 degrees, 25 KTS. 3 more legs to go. Scheduled duty day 13 hours. Aircraft was 1 of 7 inherited with merger and did not have many of automatic features we were used to on the majority of the fleet, such as automatic level off and automatic throttles. Aircraft was in descent to 15000', much hand flown. Hadn't had time to eat since 6 hours prior, so energy level low. Nothing in prior 2 days flying to indicate first officer couldn't perform as expected. Wind from west assisted us off course. Supplemental information from acn 171601: on the inbound turn to the holding course I overshot the radial. Preoccupation with descending in holding from FL200 to 15000' MSL, computing a potential WX divert field, and strong overshooting winds at altitude resulted in a slow correction to the holding course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEVIATION IN HOLDING PATTERN.

Narrative: HAD BEEN HOLDING AT ROME, GA FOR 30 MINS. ATL CLOSED DUE TO TSTM. FIX WAS ATL 313B/47 DME. F/O NEW TO ACFT AND FLYING. WATCHED HIM ENTER HOLDING PATTERN AND DRIVE ABOUT 3 OR 4 PERFECT PATTERN. CENTER THEN SLIPPED EFC ANOTHER 30 MINS, AT WHICH TIME I WAS IN PROCESS OF CONTACTING DISPATCHER TO CHK ON ALTERNATES. CENTER CAME ON AND ASKED WHAT RADIAL WE WERE USING. I TOLD HIM THE ATL 313/47 AND THE NOTICED WE WERE E OF THE HOLDING PATTERN ON THE NON-HOLDING SIDE. CENTER SAID WE WERE ON THE 328 DEG R. I SAID WE WERE CORRECTING BACK AND TOOK A 50 DEG CUT BACK TO THE HOLDING SIDE. ARRIVED IN THE PATTERN JUST BEFORE THE TURN BACK OUTBND. NOTHING FURTHER SAID BY ATC. CONTRIBUTING: NEW F/O JUST CHKED OUT IN RIGHT SEAT 2 MONTHS PRIOR. I WAS LOADED WITH PNF DUTIES AND CONCERN FOR FUEL STATE AND POSSIBLE DIVERSION. F/A TOLD US WE HAD 2 SIC PAX DUE TO TURB. WE HAD ALREADY BEEN ON DUTY 8 HRS AND 3 LEGS WITH WX AND XWINDS 70-90 DEGS, 25 KTS. 3 MORE LEGS TO GO. SCHEDULED DUTY DAY 13 HRS. ACFT WAS 1 OF 7 INHERITED WITH MERGER AND DID NOT HAVE MANY OF AUTOMATIC FEATURES WE WERE USED TO ON THE MAJORITY OF THE FLEET, SUCH AS AUTO LEVEL OFF AND AUTO THROTTLES. ACFT WAS IN DSNT TO 15000', MUCH HAND FLOWN. HADN'T HAD TIME TO EAT SINCE 6 HRS PRIOR, SO ENERGY LEVEL LOW. NOTHING IN PRIOR 2 DAYS FLYING TO INDICATE F/O COULDN'T PERFORM AS EXPECTED. WIND FROM W ASSISTED US OFF COURSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 171601: ON THE INBND TURN TO THE HOLDING COURSE I OVERSHOT THE RADIAL. PREOCCUPATION WITH DSNDING IN HOLDING FROM FL200 TO 15000' MSL, COMPUTING A POTENTIAL WX DIVERT FIELD, AND STRONG OVERSHOOTING WINDS AT ALT RESULTED IN A SLOW CORRECTION TO THE HOLDING COURSE.

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.