Track deviation. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	299826
Time
Date	199503
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gep airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	299826
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to msp, the aircraft was assigned a heading to intercept a radial off of gopher VOR and track it inbound. The aircraft was on autoplt in the heading mode. The vector from ATC caused the aircraft to intercept the radial very close to the VOR (about 6 mi). Due to the high speed (approximately 250 KIAS), the period for full deflection of the CDI was very short and was missed by both pilots. At some time after the CDI reached full deflection, but still close to the VOR (6 mi) the CDI was noticed at full deflection, and the turn inbound was immediately started. While in the turn, ATC called and assigned us a new heading to reintercept. Autoplt flying and pilots distracted by cockpit duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV.

Narrative: ENRTE TO MSP, THE ACFT WAS ASSIGNED A HDG TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL OFF OF GOPHER VOR AND TRACK IT INBOUND. THE ACFT WAS ON AUTOPLT IN THE HDG MODE. THE VECTOR FROM ATC CAUSED THE ACFT TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL VERY CLOSE TO THE VOR (ABOUT 6 MI). DUE TO THE HIGH SPD (APPROX 250 KIAS), THE PERIOD FOR FULL DEFLECTION OF THE CDI WAS VERY SHORT AND WAS MISSED BY BOTH PLTS. AT SOME TIME AFTER THE CDI REACHED FULL DEFLECTION, BUT STILL CLOSE TO THE VOR (6 MI) THE CDI WAS NOTICED AT FULL DEFLECTION, AND THE TURN INBOUND WAS IMMEDIATELY STARTED. WHILE IN THE TURN, ATC CALLED AND ASSIGNED US A NEW HDG TO REINTERCEPT. AUTOPLT FLYING AND PLTS DISTRACTED BY COCKPIT DUTIES.

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.