Narrative:

En route stl to jfk. FL370, and 40-50 NM southwest of rosewood (rod). Tracking to rod on 250 degree radial and heading 065 degrees center told us to turn left 15 degrees, for traffic. Captain turned head sel knob to 050 degrees, I observed. Bank was 10 degrees. I picked up chart for frequency of deyer (djb). Expecting direct djb 'after traffic,' since this is where we often receive clearance direct to djb. As I looked up, aircraft had turned to approximately 70 degrees. Center told us turn left to 040 degrees now. At the same time, told another air carrier to increase rate of turn. In our turn, we visually noted the traffic. TCASII alerted 'traffic,' also, at 1:30 position. We increased bank. TCASII said, descend. As captain started to descend, the TCASII stopped. The traffic did not get closer than the outer edge of TCASII screen (12-14 mi). This was very good demonstration of the value of TCASII. The autoflt system of the MD80, will lull one into a false sense of security. It is easy to think it will always work the way we thought we programmed it. This situation demonstrates the need to follow up on commands given to autoflt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FAILED TO FOLLOW A VECTOR CLRNC AS A RESULT OF HDG SELECT UTILIZATION OF THE AUTOFLT SYS, AND RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT.

Narrative: ENRTE STL TO JFK. FL370, AND 40-50 NM SW OF ROSEWOOD (ROD). TRACKING TO ROD ON 250 DEG RADIAL AND HDG 065 DEGS CTR TOLD US TO TURN L 15 DEGS, FOR TFC. CAPT TURNED HEAD SEL KNOB TO 050 DEGS, I OBSERVED. BANK WAS 10 DEGS. I PICKED UP CHART FOR FREQ OF DEYER (DJB). EXPECTING DIRECT DJB 'AFTER TFC,' SINCE THIS IS WHERE WE OFTEN RECEIVE CLRNC DIRECT TO DJB. AS I LOOKED UP, ACFT HAD TURNED TO APPROX 70 DEGS. CTR TOLD US TURN L TO 040 DEGS NOW. AT THE SAME TIME, TOLD ANOTHER ACR TO INCREASE RATE OF TURN. IN OUR TURN, WE VISUALLY NOTED THE TFC. TCASII ALERTED 'TFC,' ALSO, AT 1:30 POS. WE INCREASED BANK. TCASII SAID, DSND. AS CAPT STARTED TO DSND, THE TCASII STOPPED. THE TFC DID NOT GET CLOSER THAN THE OUTER EDGE OF TCASII SCREEN (12-14 MI). THIS WAS VERY GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF THE VALUE OF TCASII. THE AUTOFLT SYS OF THE MD80, WILL LULL ONE INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. IT IS EASY TO THINK IT WILL ALWAYS WORK THE WAY WE THOUGHT WE PROGRAMMED IT. THIS SIT DEMONSTRATES THE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON COMMANDS GIVEN TO AUTOFLT.

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.