Corp aircraft tries to 'fake' their way to intercept a radial. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	205230
Time
Date	199203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 9100 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	205230
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was acting as first officer for the chief pilot. After intercepting the jet route and established normal cruise, ATC told us we were reclred to the 025 degree radial of lit the 40 DME fix, then the 025 degree radial inbound to lit. We were using VOR outbound from stl on capts side and I had set up the lit VOR inbound for the jet route on my side. I had informed the captain of our setup. Because of the reclrnc to the specific bearing and fix I leaned over the console to program the INS for the new waypoint. As I did so the chief pilot and I both said we weren't sure how to do that on the INS but I thought I could stumble through it. The chief pilot said 'don't bother, I can fake my way to the fix.' I continued to try to remember how to set that up but after several attempts became frustrated. Chief pilot again answered he could just fake his way to it. I ate more of my breakfast. I did not pay attention to what the captain was doing. I ditched by breakfast box when I realized we were ready to start down and I needed to get ATIS. While I was off the air, ATC evidently asked the captain where he was going because as I reported back on the watch with the captain he was complying with an ATC heading directive. He then complained about looking bad and looking like a fool because he had continued to use the stl VOR to 'fake' his way to the lit 025 degree 40 DME fix. This of course didn't work. Solutions? 1. I reviewed how to quickly set up a phantom (unnamed waypoint) waypoint in the INS using bearing and DME. I use it only infrequently because most fixes have names I can type in. But I still need to know it. 2. There was an easily accessible INS book available to me in the cockpit. 3. I shouldn't have let it rest till I got it right. 4. I should have monitored the captain. 5. Only fools 'fake it.' (and some chief pilots). I was really embarrassed at myself for the whole episode. The chief pilot did not blame me but I was at fault.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT TRIES TO 'FAKE' THEIR WAY TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL. HDG DEV.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS FO FOR THE CHIEF PLT. AFTER INTERCEPTING THE JET RTE AND ESTABLISHED NORMAL CRUISE, ATC TOLD US WE WERE RECLRED TO THE 025 DEG RADIAL OF LIT THE 40 DME FIX, THEN THE 025 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO LIT. WE WERE USING VOR OUTBOUND FROM STL ON CAPTS SIDE AND I HAD SET UP THE LIT VOR INBOUND FOR THE JET RTE ON MY SIDE. I HAD INFORMED THE CAPT OF OUR SETUP. BECAUSE OF THE RECLRNC TO THE SPECIFIC BEARING AND FIX I LEANED OVER THE CONSOLE TO PROGRAM THE INS FOR THE NEW WAYPOINT. AS I DID SO THE CHIEF PLT AND I BOTH SAID WE WEREN'T SURE HOW TO DO THAT ON THE INS BUT I THOUGHT I COULD STUMBLE THROUGH IT. THE CHIEF PLT SAID 'DON'T BOTHER, I CAN FAKE MY WAY TO THE FIX.' I CONTINUED TO TRY TO REMEMBER HOW TO SET THAT UP BUT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BECAME FRUSTRATED. CHIEF PLT AGAIN ANSWERED HE COULD JUST FAKE HIS WAY TO IT. I ATE MORE OF MY BREAKFAST. I DID NOT PAY ATTN TO WHAT THE CAPT WAS DOING. I DITCHED BY BREAKFAST BOX WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE READY TO START DOWN AND I NEEDED TO GET ATIS. WHILE I WAS OFF THE AIR, ATC EVIDENTLY ASKED THE CAPT WHERE HE WAS GOING BECAUSE AS I RPTED BACK ON THE WATCH WITH THE CAPT HE WAS COMPLYING WITH AN ATC HDG DIRECTIVE. HE THEN COMPLAINED ABOUT LOOKING BAD AND LOOKING LIKE A FOOL BECAUSE HE HAD CONTINUED TO USE THE STL VOR TO 'FAKE' HIS WAY TO THE LIT 025 DEG 40 DME FIX. THIS OF COURSE DIDN'T WORK. SOLUTIONS? 1. I REVIEWED HOW TO QUICKLY SET UP A PHANTOM (UNNAMED WAYPOINT) WAYPOINT IN THE INS USING BEARING AND DME. I USE IT ONLY INFREQUENTLY BECAUSE MOST FIXES HAVE NAMES I CAN TYPE IN. BUT I STILL NEED TO KNOW IT. 2. THERE WAS AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE INS BOOK AVAILABLE TO ME IN THE COCKPIT. 3. I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET IT REST TILL I GOT IT RIGHT. 4. I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED THE CAPT. 5. ONLY FOOLS 'FAKE IT.' (AND SOME CHIEF PLTS). I WAS REALLY EMBARRASSED AT MYSELF FOR THE WHOLE EPISODE. THE CHIEF PLT DID NOT BLAME ME BUT I WAS AT FAULT.

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.