Heavy transport air carrier frt aircraft track heading deviation en route anc to lax.

Attributes
ACN	194581
Time
Date	199111
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fot
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	194581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from anc to lax I had coupled the autoplt to the omega. After a while it started to wander back and forth, sometimes by as much as 10 degrees. To keep the aircraft steady, I put the autoplt on heading. Up to this time we had been on course. I had made a position report passing kurtt intersection and it was here I decided to take the autoplt off auxiliary navigation and go the heading. The wind was about 270/80. We then started to have communication problems and both the first officer and myself got engrossed in restoring radio contact. I should have been suspicious when we received a SELCAL and they asked us to reconfirm our route for ATC. When we checked in with sea ARTCC, the first thing he asked me was that if I knew I was 35 east of course and had gone through an active MOA. I knew at once that I had forgotten that I had run the autoplt on heading. We were then cleared direct to fot VOR and on course. I hate to admit it, but this was a case of pilot error, plain and simple. No other crew members were at fault. I failed to use a few basic procedures and ended up off course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVT ACR FRT ACFT TRACK HDG DEV ENRTE ANC TO LAX.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ANC TO LAX I HAD COUPLED THE AUTOPLT TO THE OMEGA. AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED TO WANDER BACK AND FORTH, SOMETIMES BY AS MUCH AS 10 DEGS. TO KEEP THE ACFT STEADY, I PUT THE AUTOPLT ON HDG. UP TO THIS TIME WE HAD BEEN ON COURSE. I HAD MADE A POS RPT PASSING KURTT INTXN AND IT WAS HERE I DECIDED TO TAKE THE AUTOPLT OFF AUX NAV AND GO THE HDG. THE WIND WAS ABOUT 270/80. WE THEN STARTED TO HAVE COM PROBLEMS AND BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF GOT ENGROSSED IN RESTORING RADIO CONTACT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPICIOUS WHEN WE RECEIVED A SELCAL AND THEY ASKED US TO RECONFIRM OUR RTE FOR ATC. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH SEA ARTCC, THE FIRST THING HE ASKED ME WAS THAT IF I KNEW I WAS 35 E OF COURSE AND HAD GONE THROUGH AN ACTIVE MOA. I KNEW AT ONCE THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I HAD RUN THE AUTOPLT ON HDG. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO FOT VOR AND ON COURSE. I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT THIS WAS A CASE OF PLT ERROR, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. NO OTHER CREW MEMBERS WERE AT FAULT. I FAILED TO USE A FEW BASIC PROCS AND ENDED UP OFF 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.