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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Deviation from clearance - air carrier drifts off course when using omega to track an airway and the system goes to dead reckoning and crew fails to notice.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 302884 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bwg |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j-6 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9750 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 302884 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 303249 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was the captain and PF for an air carrier flight from phl-dfw. We were established in cruise at FL350. Approaching bwg, I had coupled our autoplt and it was tracking J-6 using the omega as its navigation source. Upon passing bwg VOR the omega, slipped into dead reckoning and I did not immediately detect the error. At that point, the aircraft was essentially tracking a heading and did so for the next 8 mins. A nwesterly wind component caused us to drift south of the airway centerline. Approximately 48 NM southwest of bwg, I realized that the omega was in dead reckoning. Almost simultaneously, ZME saw our tracking error and asked us if we were on a vector heading. After responding that we were not, ZME gave us a 20 degree right turn direct to little rock VOR (lit). We complied with the clearance and no further problems occurred. In retrospect, I learned that I cannot allow cockpit distrs to divert my attention from my flight monitoring duties.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DEV FROM CLRNC - ACR DRIFTS OFF COURSE WHEN USING OMEGA TO TRACK AN AIRWAY AND THE SYS GOES TO DEAD RECKONING AND CREW FAILS TO NOTICE.
Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT AND PF FOR AN ACR FLT FROM PHL-DFW. WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT FL350. APCHING BWG, I HAD COUPLED OUR AUTOPLT AND IT WAS TRACKING J-6 USING THE OMEGA AS ITS NAV SOURCE. UPON PASSING BWG VOR THE OMEGA, SLIPPED INTO DEAD RECKONING AND I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DETECT THE ERROR. AT THAT POINT, THE ACFT WAS ESSENTIALLY TRACKING A HDG AND DID SO FOR THE NEXT 8 MINS. A NWESTERLY WIND COMPONENT CAUSED US TO DRIFT S OF THE AIRWAY CTRLINE. APPROX 48 NM SW OF BWG, I REALIZED THAT THE OMEGA WAS IN DEAD RECKONING. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, ZME SAW OUR TRACKING ERROR AND ASKED US IF WE WERE ON A VECTOR HDG. AFTER RESPONDING THAT WE WERE NOT, ZME GAVE US A 20 DEG R TURN DIRECT TO LITTLE ROCK VOR (LIT). WE COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC AND NO FURTHER PROBS OCCURRED. IN RETROSPECT, I LEARNED THAT I CANNOT ALLOW COCKPIT DISTRS TO DIVERT MY ATTN FROM MY FLT MONITORING 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.