Narrative:

On transoceanic fra to dtw in radio contact with montreal center at FL350 we lost VHF radio contact with moncton center and was attempting to find a frequency for montreal center at the same time we were approaching yfm. The INS went to the next INS point that was not properly loaded. The aircraft started into a turn to the east as I saw the ADF needle for yfm swing. In the confusion with the radio, 3-4 mins went by when I noticed the heading was approximately 150 degrees (90 degrees off course left). I started an immediate turn back to 230 degrees. We entered radar radio contact with montreal and were advised we were 50 mi off course. The confusion factor led to the INS discrepancy resulting in the aircraft turning off course. From a human factors standpoint I succumbed to misappropriate priorities. Concern over the lost VHF communication problem allowed me to channel my attention on assisting the captain to find a new frequency. The fact that the aircraft was turning in the proper direction caused me to not watch where the plane was turning. In addition, the autoplt was on a 10 degree bank angle, therefore, the shallow bank didn't trigger a cue that we were in a large degree of turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR WDB ACFT INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED ACFT DURING HIGH ALT CRUISE TO TURN OFF INTENDED TRACK RESULTING IN A GROSS NAV ERROR.

Narrative: ON TRANSOCEANIC FRA TO DTW IN RADIO CONTACT WITH MONTREAL CTR AT FL350 WE LOST VHF RADIO CONTACT WITH MONCTON CTR AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO FIND A FREQ FOR MONTREAL CTR AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE APCHING YFM. THE INS WENT TO THE NEXT INS POINT THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY LOADED. THE ACFT STARTED INTO A TURN TO THE E AS I SAW THE ADF NEEDLE FOR YFM SWING. IN THE CONFUSION WITH THE RADIO, 3-4 MINS WENT BY WHEN I NOTICED THE HDG WAS APPROX 150 DEGS (90 DEGS OFF COURSE L). I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN BACK TO 230 DEGS. WE ENTERED RADAR RADIO CONTACT WITH MONTREAL AND WERE ADVISED WE WERE 50 MI OFF COURSE. THE CONFUSION FACTOR LED TO THE INS DISCREPANCY RESULTING IN THE ACFT TURNING OFF COURSE. FROM A HUMAN FACTORS STANDPOINT I SUCCUMBED TO MISAPPROPRIATE PRIORITIES. CONCERN OVER THE LOST VHF COM PROBLEM ALLOWED ME TO CHANNEL MY ATTN ON ASSISTING THE CAPT TO FIND A NEW FREQ. THE FACT THAT THE ACFT WAS TURNING IN THE PROPER DIRECTION CAUSED ME TO NOT WATCH WHERE THE PLANE WAS TURNING. IN ADDITION, THE AUTOPLT WAS ON A 10 DEG BANK ANGLE, THEREFORE, THE SHALLOW BANK DIDN'T TRIGGER A CUE THAT WE WERE IN A LARGE DEG OF TURN.

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.