Narrative:

Approximately 40 NM northeast of csn, ZDC told us to turn right to 260 degrees to intercept J48. I advised center that a 260 degree heading would take us off the airway. They said we were south of course. I looked at our map, which showed us on course. We did have 'dir' on our map, so we did turn to 260 degree, updated our position off the csn VOR, and then went to navigation again. Center then called to say we were south of course again. This time we corrected and flew the remainder of the flight using VOR/airway radials and used the 'map' mode as a backup. No further incident occurred. I was not overly concerned, since all of the navigation problems could have been just on our aircraft. However, on wed/aug/94 I flew the same flight again, and although I did not experience a navigation problem I heard ZDC talk with another aircraft that was 'off course.' this occurred near csn VOR. Very strange. ZDC told this other aircraft, 'we have had a lot of trouble in this area.' my question is, is anybody doing anything about this navigation problem? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting captain was flying lga-tys over csn when this anomaly occurred. He thought nothing of it until he heard a controller say that it happens all of the time. The reporter was flying the md-88 with an ahars instrumentation system. This is not an INS or IRS aircraft. The reporter has not talked to other pilots flying through this area to see if INS or IRS aircraft have the same sort of navigation problems, according to the controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC ALLEGED THAT THE RPTR WAS OFF COURSE IN THE VICINITY OF CSN.

Narrative: APPROX 40 NM NE OF CSN, ZDC TOLD US TO TURN R TO 260 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J48. I ADVISED CTR THAT A 260 DEG HDG WOULD TAKE US OFF THE AIRWAY. THEY SAID WE WERE S OF COURSE. I LOOKED AT OUR MAP, WHICH SHOWED US ON COURSE. WE DID HAVE 'DIR' ON OUR MAP, SO WE DID TURN TO 260 DEG, UPDATED OUR POS OFF THE CSN VOR, AND THEN WENT TO NAV AGAIN. CTR THEN CALLED TO SAY WE WERE S OF COURSE AGAIN. THIS TIME WE CORRECTED AND FLEW THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT USING VOR/AIRWAY RADIALS AND USED THE 'MAP' MODE AS A BACKUP. NO FURTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED, SINCE ALL OF THE NAV PROBS COULD HAVE BEEN JUST ON OUR ACFT. HOWEVER, ON WED/AUG/94 I FLEW THE SAME FLT AGAIN, AND ALTHOUGH I DID NOT EXPERIENCE A NAV PROB I HEARD ZDC TALK WITH ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS 'OFF COURSE.' THIS OCCURRED NEAR CSN VOR. VERY STRANGE. ZDC TOLD THIS OTHER ACFT, 'WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE IN THIS AREA.' MY QUESTION IS, IS ANYBODY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS NAV PROB? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING CAPT WAS FLYING LGA-TYS OVER CSN WHEN THIS ANOMALY OCCURRED. HE THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT UNTIL HE HEARD A CTLR SAY THAT IT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME. THE RPTR WAS FLYING THE MD-88 WITH AN AHARS INSTRUMENTATION SYS. THIS IS NOT AN INS OR IRS ACFT. THE RPTR HAS NOT TALKED TO OTHER PLTS FLYING THROUGH THIS AREA TO SEE IF INS OR IRS ACFT HAVE THE SAME SORT OF NAV PROBS, ACCORDING TO THE CTLRS.

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.