Narrative:

On transition to approach after descent from cruise altitude, mso approach controller issued '310 degree heading after fgt VOR, maintain 11000 ft, 210 KTS.' I, PF, set heading bug to 310 degrees in anticipation of instruction issued. Autoplt was flying aircraft tracking inbound to peppr intersection on meinz 6 arrival with fgt VOR to follow. I spaced out at peppr intersection and selected heading mode on autoplt thinking I had reached fgt VOR. Proceeded on 310 degree heading for 2-3 mins before controller caught my early turn and issued new heading (010 degrees) followed approximately 1 min later by climb instructions to 12000 ft. Think error would have been eliminated by better situational awareness on my part (knowing which intersection/VOR I am tracking to instead of simply thinking 'oh, ok, 310 degree heading after autoplt passes next fix'). Contributing factors: 1) night flight later than our usual flight times (mind was already off duty). 2) concern with other factors than primary duty of aircraft control/navigation. We had decided to divert from original destination to msp because of key runways/poor WX. 3) other cockpit crewmember was out of flying loop. He was busy making ground transportation arrangements -- hangar, etc, on separate radio frequency and did not catch my navigation blunder. Corrective actions: 1) maintain alertness during all phases of flight, especially those concerning different or less than usual circumstances, ie, unusual duty hours, challenging WX and airport conditions, etc. 2) keep both crewmembers active in flying. During any course, heading, altitude change both people should be cognizant of situation and know what the other is doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK POS DEV. NAV ERROR. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: ON TRANSITION TO APCH AFTER DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT, MSO APCH CTLR ISSUED '310 DEG HDG AFTER FGT VOR, MAINTAIN 11000 FT, 210 KTS.' I, PF, SET HDG BUG TO 310 DEGS IN ANTICIPATION OF INSTRUCTION ISSUED. AUTOPLT WAS FLYING ACFT TRACKING INBOUND TO PEPPR INTXN ON MEINZ 6 ARR WITH FGT VOR TO FOLLOW. I SPACED OUT AT PEPPR INTXN AND SELECTED HDG MODE ON AUTOPLT THINKING I HAD REACHED FGT VOR. PROCEEDED ON 310 DEG HDG FOR 2-3 MINS BEFORE CTLR CAUGHT MY EARLY TURN AND ISSUED NEW HDG (010 DEGS) FOLLOWED APPROX 1 MIN LATER BY CLB INSTRUCTIONS TO 12000 FT. THINK ERROR WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED BY BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON MY PART (KNOWING WHICH INTXN/VOR I AM TRACKING TO INSTEAD OF SIMPLY THINKING 'OH, OK, 310 DEG HDG AFTER AUTOPLT PASSES NEXT FIX'). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) NIGHT FLT LATER THAN OUR USUAL FLT TIMES (MIND WAS ALREADY OFF DUTY). 2) CONCERN WITH OTHER FACTORS THAN PRIMARY DUTY OF ACFT CTL/NAV. WE HAD DECIDED TO DIVERT FROM ORIGINAL DEST TO MSP BECAUSE OF KEY RWYS/POOR WX. 3) OTHER COCKPIT CREWMEMBER WAS OUT OF FLYING LOOP. HE WAS BUSY MAKING GND TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS -- HANGAR, ETC, ON SEPARATE RADIO FREQ AND DID NOT CATCH MY NAV BLUNDER. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) MAINTAIN ALERTNESS DURING ALL PHASES OF FLT, ESPECIALLY THOSE CONCERNING DIFFERENT OR LESS THAN USUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, IE, UNUSUAL DUTY HRS, CHALLENGING WX AND ARPT CONDITIONS, ETC. 2) KEEP BOTH CREWMEMBERS ACTIVE IN FLYING. DURING ANY COURSE, HDG, ALT CHANGE BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD BE COGNIZANT OF SIT AND KNOW WHAT THE OTHER IS DOING.

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.