Flight cleared direct to obscure intersection that had to be programmed in INS. When programmed, cap...

Attributes
ACN	198740
Time
Date	199201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	198740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After a normal kennedy 5 departure and while climbing to 13000 ft, departure cleared us INS direct to greke intersection. Since this was not part of the company provided flight plan route, I was required to insert the latitude/longitude into the INS after the clearance was received from departure. During this process ATC requested we turn to heading 010 until able to go direct greke. Apparently the captain heard maintain heading 010 only. At this time I was inquiring as to the captain's understanding of the clearance and he was leveling at 13000. ATC then cleared us to 14000 and inquired of our heading, restated the direct clearance. The intersection was over 40 degrees left of our course but the captain started a 30 degree bank to the right. By the time I was able to prove to the captain the true location of the cleared intersection ATC was reacting strongly to the aircraft's wrong turn. I quickly asked for a heading to the intersection as we noticed the aircraft was at 14200 ft and still climbing. ATC said maintain 14000. Our total deviation from assigned altitude was 285 ft high. Looking back, a few events snowballed into a big problem. However, the biggest problem was requiring the use of INS in or near the terminal airspace where quick reaction to a clearance is necessary. After all, older aircraft such as this one, have outdated displays with no graphic depiction of INS course and lack database for fast selection of waypoints. If ATC must use RNAV in congested airspace it would be nice if they were required to preface the clearance with expect direct xyz 30-60 seconds prior to issuing the clearance or be required to issue a heading, direct xyz when able. After all, does the following mean you are right of course or need to turn right to get on course -- R0001 R040? To me it means 40 degrees right of target course but to my captain it meant turn right 40 degrees. Unfortunately, I was unable to prove I was right fast enough!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CLRED DIRECT TO OBSCURE INTXN THAT HAD TO BE PROGRAMMED IN INS. WHEN PROGRAMMED, CAPT FLYING TURNED WRONG DIRECTION TO GO DIRECT, MISREADING THE INS COURSE INDICATOR.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL KENNEDY 5 DEP AND WHILE CLBING TO 13000 FT, DEP CLRED US INS DIRECT TO GREKE INTXN. SINCE THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE COMPANY PROVIDED FLT PLAN RTE, I WAS REQUIRED TO INSERT THE LATITUDE/LONGITUDE INTO THE INS AFTER THE CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FROM DEP. DURING THIS PROCESS ATC REQUESTED WE TURN TO HDG 010 UNTIL ABLE TO GO DIRECT GREKE. APPARENTLY THE CAPT HEARD MAINTAIN HDG 010 ONLY. AT THIS TIME I WAS INQUIRING AS TO THE CAPT'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC AND HE WAS LEVELING AT 13000. ATC THEN CLRED US TO 14000 AND INQUIRED OF OUR HDG, RESTATED THE DIRECT CLRNC. THE INTXN WAS OVER 40 DEGS L OF OUR COURSE BUT THE CAPT STARTED A 30 DEG BANK TO THE R. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO PROVE TO THE CAPT THE TRUE LOCATION OF THE CLRED INTXN ATC WAS REACTING STRONGLY TO THE ACFT'S WRONG TURN. I QUICKLY ASKED FOR A HDG TO THE INTXN AS WE NOTICED THE ACFT WAS AT 14200 FT AND STILL CLBING. ATC SAID MAINTAIN 14000. OUR TOTAL DEV FROM ASSIGNED ALT WAS 285 FT HIGH. LOOKING BACK, A FEW EVENTS SNOWBALLED INTO A BIG PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS REQUIRING THE USE OF INS IN OR NEAR THE TERMINAL AIRSPACE WHERE QUICK REACTION TO A CLRNC IS NECESSARY. AFTER ALL, OLDER ACFT SUCH AS THIS ONE, HAVE OUTDATED DISPLAYS WITH NO GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF INS COURSE AND LACK DATABASE FOR FAST SELECTION OF WAYPOINTS. IF ATC MUST USE RNAV IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY WERE REQUIRED TO PREFACE THE CLRNC WITH EXPECT DIRECT XYZ 30-60 SECONDS PRIOR TO ISSUING THE CLRNC OR BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A HDG, DIRECT XYZ WHEN ABLE. AFTER ALL, DOES THE FOLLOWING MEAN YOU ARE R OF COURSE OR NEED TO TURN R TO GET ON COURSE -- R0001 R040? TO ME IT MEANS 40 DEGS R OF TARGET COURSE BUT TO MY CAPT IT MEANT TURN R 40 DEGS. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNABLE TO PROVE I WAS RIGHT FAST ENOUGH!

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.

Flight cleared direct to obscure intersection that had to be programmed in INS. When programmed, captain flying turned wrong direction to go direct, misreading the INS course indicator.