Course deviation. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	294330
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lny
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fll
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zhn
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 : 10000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	294330
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 4100
ASRS Report	294333
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We are in a dc-9 on a scheduled flight from ogg to hnl. We are following a dc-10. We are cleared to join the arrival on a heading of 250 degrees, then for spacing we are told to fly 240 degrees. I confirm that we are not to join arrival now and stay on a 240 degree heading. In cruise while I make a PA we get a speed restr of 280 KTS. Now I'm off the PA and the airway comes alive. The captain says to me something like 'course alive, cleared to join.' the problem is I think he's telling me, but he meant it as a question. I had confirmed before the PA that we were not to join the airway. Now I was assuming that while I was on the PA that along with the speed restr the center had reclred us to join. Again, when the captain said 'course alive, cleared to join' I thought he was telling, not asking. I think the captain should have been more clear in his communication with me and I failed by assuming that I understood him. P.south. The problem was discovered by center who saw us turn onto the airway. They then had us return to our vector heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COURSE DEV.

Narrative: WE ARE IN A DC-9 ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM OGG TO HNL. WE ARE FOLLOWING A DC-10. WE ARE CLRED TO JOIN THE ARR ON A HDG OF 250 DEGS, THEN FOR SPACING WE ARE TOLD TO FLY 240 DEGS. I CONFIRM THAT WE ARE NOT TO JOIN ARR NOW AND STAY ON A 240 DEG HDG. IN CRUISE WHILE I MAKE A PA WE GET A SPD RESTR OF 280 KTS. NOW I'M OFF THE PA AND THE AIRWAY COMES ALIVE. THE CAPT SAYS TO ME SOMETHING LIKE 'COURSE ALIVE, CLRED TO JOIN.' THE PROB IS I THINK HE'S TELLING ME, BUT HE MEANT IT AS A QUESTION. I HAD CONFIRMED BEFORE THE PA THAT WE WERE NOT TO JOIN THE AIRWAY. NOW I WAS ASSUMING THAT WHILE I WAS ON THE PA THAT ALONG WITH THE SPD RESTR THE CTR HAD RECLRED US TO JOIN. AGAIN, WHEN THE CAPT SAID 'COURSE ALIVE, CLRED TO JOIN' I THOUGHT HE WAS TELLING, NOT ASKING. I THINK THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLR IN HIS COM WITH ME AND I FAILED BY ASSUMING THAT I UNDERSTOOD HIM. P.S. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED BY CTR WHO SAW US TURN ONTO THE AIRWAY. THEY THEN HAD US RETURN TO OUR VECTOR HDG.

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.