Narrative:

The problem arose from an incorrect present position entered in the FMS computer. Apparently the future destination was entered as our present position, making the map of our route on our navigation display backward. After takeoff, the departure controller cleared us to 10000 ft and 'cleared on course.' as the PNF, I slued the flight director heading bug toward the first fix on or route of flight as depicted on the navigation display, not realizing it was taking us in the opposite direction of our intended destination. When the departure controller asked us why we were on a s- werly course vice a n-eerly course, we immediately realized our map display was backwards and turned towards our destination using normal navigation means. This is one of those mistakes made by relying solely on computer generated navigation. A computer is only as good as the information it is given (garbage in/garbage out). Some contributing factors involved were; it was the last leg of a 5 leg, 12 hour day. Both of us were tired and ready to get to our layover. Being a very quick turn around, the captain loaded the FMS while I did the walkaround. Getting back in the cockpit, I was in a hurry to get things ready for our departure and didn't bother checking the FMS program. Another factor which came into play was a runway change on taxi out. I put the new departure runway in the FMS but did not hit 'runway update' upon taking the runway, thereby still letting the computer think it was at our destination. Although there was no conflict, it was embarrassing to turn in the total opposite direction than we were expected. In the future I will always check the FMS and correlate it with the map display, no matter how tired I am or how quick the turn around.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE FROM AN INCORRECT PRESENT POS ENTERED IN THE FMS COMPUTER. APPARENTLY THE FUTURE DEST WAS ENTERED AS OUR PRESENT POS, MAKING THE MAP OF OUR RTE ON OUR NAV DISPLAY BACKWARD. AFTER TKOF, THE DEP CTLR CLRED US TO 10000 FT AND 'CLRED ON COURSE.' AS THE PNF, I SLUED THE FLT DIRECTOR HDG BUG TOWARD THE FIRST FIX ON OR RTE OF FLT AS DEPICTED ON THE NAV DISPLAY, NOT REALIZING IT WAS TAKING US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF OUR INTENDED DEST. WHEN THE DEP CTLR ASKED US WHY WE WERE ON A S- WERLY COURSE VICE A N-EERLY COURSE, WE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED OUR MAP DISPLAY WAS BACKWARDS AND TURNED TOWARDS OUR DEST USING NORMAL NAV MEANS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MISTAKES MADE BY RELYING SOLELY ON COMPUTER GENERATED NAV. A COMPUTER IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE INFO IT IS GIVEN (GARBAGE IN/GARBAGE OUT). SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INVOLVED WERE; IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF A 5 LEG, 12 HR DAY. BOTH OF US WERE TIRED AND READY TO GET TO OUR LAYOVER. BEING A VERY QUICK TURN AROUND, THE CAPT LOADED THE FMS WHILE I DID THE WALKAROUND. GETTING BACK IN THE COCKPIT, I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET THINGS READY FOR OUR DEP AND DIDN'T BOTHER CHKING THE FMS PROGRAM. ANOTHER FACTOR WHICH CAME INTO PLAY WAS A RWY CHANGE ON TAXI OUT. I PUT THE NEW DEP RWY IN THE FMS BUT DID NOT HIT 'RWY UPDATE' UPON TAKING THE RWY, THEREBY STILL LETTING THE COMPUTER THINK IT WAS AT OUR DEST. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, IT WAS EMBARRASSING TO TURN IN THE TOTAL OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAN WE WERE EXPECTED. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ALWAYS CHK THE FMS AND CORRELATE IT WITH THE MAP DISPLAY, NO MATTER HOW TIRED I AM OR HOW QUICK THE TURN AROUND.

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.