Air carrier on arrival fails to use proper radial after crossing VOR.

Attributes
ACN	263145
Time
Date	199402
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : oak
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	263145
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

I had instructed the captain that I was going to get the ATIS for landing in sjc and he acknowledged that he had ATC communication and that I was leaving the 'loop'. When I returned we had just crossed el nido VOR in a descent and in a right turn to a heading of about 330 degrees. The el nido 3 arrival indicates to track the 'el nido' 240 degree radial to 'torch' intersection. I asked the captain if this is a vector, where we were going and what is our assigned altitude. At that moment bay approach asked us what we were doing and what our heading was. I gave bay our heading and turned to the captain. (At this point I had no idea what he was doing either.) the captain got on the radio to bay that he was the captain and that he made a mistake, and was returning to join the 240 degree radial. In the past 10 yrs as an airline pilot I have seen this type of problem many times. It is my opinion that the captain's age (approximately 55) and lack of mental awareness led to this. This had been one of several such events on this same trip, and while he could pass a first class medical with flying colors he was having many problems in the airplane. While many pilots could fly to the end of their life, many could not mentally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON ARR FAILS TO USE PROPER RADIAL AFTER XING VOR.

Narrative: I HAD INSTRUCTED THE CAPT THAT I WAS GOING TO GET THE ATIS FOR LNDG IN SJC AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD ATC COM AND THAT I WAS LEAVING THE 'LOOP'. WHEN I RETURNED WE HAD JUST CROSSED EL NIDO VOR IN A DSCNT AND IN A R TURN TO A HDG OF ABOUT 330 DEGS. THE EL NIDO 3 ARR INDICATES TO TRACK THE 'EL NIDO' 240 DEG RADIAL TO 'TORCH' INTXN. I ASKED THE CAPT IF THIS IS A VECTOR, WHERE WE WERE GOING AND WHAT IS OUR ASSIGNED ALT. AT THAT MOMENT BAY APCH ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHAT OUR HDG WAS. I GAVE BAY OUR HDG AND TURNED TO THE CAPT. (AT THIS POINT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS DOING EITHER.) THE CAPT GOT ON THE RADIO TO BAY THAT HE WAS THE CAPT AND THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE, AND WAS RETURNING TO JOIN THE 240 DEG RADIAL. IN THE PAST 10 YRS AS AN AIRLINE PLT I HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROB MANY TIMES. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE CAPT'S AGE (APPROX 55) AND LACK OF MENTAL AWARENESS LED TO THIS. THIS HAD BEEN ONE OF SEVERAL SUCH EVENTS ON THIS SAME TRIP, AND WHILE HE COULD PASS A FIRST CLASS MEDICAL WITH FLYING COLORS HE WAS HAVING MANY PROBS IN THE AIRPLANE. WHILE MANY PLTS COULD FLY TO THE END OF THEIR LIFE, MANY COULD NOT MENTALLY.

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.