Narrative:

En route from tampa to montego bay, jamaica, we were cleared via the cook (ckk) beacon, the A509. After passing the ckk beacon we should have tracked out on the 149 degree bearing from ckk to stay on the centerline of A509. After passing ckk I held a heading of about 140 degree to compensate for winds aloft. This was a mistake, as the winds aloft were from the southwest. The correct heading to correct for the wind should have been about 160 degree. After about 3 or 4 mins miami center asked us if we were correcting back to the centerline of the airway. Neither the first officer or myself noticed the mistake, and we informed mia that we were correcting. At this time I turned an additional 30 degree to the left to get back on the airway. This of course was still the wrong way, and just took us further off the airway. Miami center called within a min or two and assigned a heading of 170 degree to intercept the airway. As soon as miami called, I realized my mistake. I have no explanation for not realizing my error earlier, and am still shocked that I couldn't immediately visualize my correct position in relation to the NDB. Both the first officer and myself are experienced in our current position, and also in international operations. The only thing different about this incident was the use of low frequency beacons for navigation. Supplemental information from acn 211859. I was busy calculating an ursus (cuban ADIZ) estimate and contacting havana center when miami center called to ask if we were correcting back to the airway. Believing that we were I answered that we were. My only explanation is was that I had become too engrossed in calculating position reports to back up the captain on NDB navigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC TPA TO MONTEGO BAY GETS DISORIENTED WHILE TRACKING OUTBOUND FROM THE CKK NDB AND DIVERGES FROM COURSE, A509.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM TAMPA TO MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, WE WERE CLRED VIA THE COOK (CKK) BEACON, THE A509. AFTER PASSING THE CKK BEACON WE SHOULD HAVE TRACKED OUT ON THE 149 DEG BEARING FROM CKK TO STAY ON THE CTRLINE OF A509. AFTER PASSING CKK I HELD A HDG OF ABOUT 140 DEG TO COMPENSATE FOR WINDS ALOFT. THIS WAS A MISTAKE, AS THE WINDS ALOFT WERE FROM THE SW. THE CORRECT HDG TO CORRECT FOR THE WIND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 160 DEG. AFTER ABOUT 3 OR 4 MINS MIAMI CTR ASKED US IF WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO THE CTRLINE OF THE AIRWAY. NEITHER THE FO OR MYSELF NOTICED THE MISTAKE, AND WE INFORMED MIA THAT WE WERE CORRECTING. AT THIS TIME I TURNED AN ADDITIONAL 30 DEG TO THE L TO GET BACK ON THE AIRWAY. THIS OF COURSE WAS STILL THE WRONG WAY, AND JUST TOOK US FURTHER OFF THE AIRWAY. MIAMI CTR CALLED WITHIN A MIN OR TWO AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 170 DEG TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY. AS SOON AS MIAMI CALLED, I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR NOT REALIZING MY ERROR EARLIER, AND AM STILL SHOCKED THAT I COULDN'T IMMEDIATELY VISUALIZE MY CORRECT POS IN RELATION TO THE NDB. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF ARE EXPERIENCED IN OUR CURRENT POS, AND ALSO IN INTL OPS. THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT WAS THE USE OF LOW FREQ BEACONS FOR NAV. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 211859. I WAS BUSY CALCULATING AN URSUS (CUBAN ADIZ) ESTIMATE AND CONTACTING HAVANA CTR WHEN MIAMI CTR CALLED TO ASK IF WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO THE AIRWAY. BELIEVING THAT WE WERE I ANSWERED THAT WE WERE. MY ONLY EXPLANATION IS WAS THAT I HAD BECOME TOO ENGROSSED IN CALCULATING POS RPTS TO BACK UP THE CAPT ON NDB NAV.

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.