Aircraft altitude deviation and off course due to FMC confusion.

Attributes
ACN	303540
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17450
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 98 flight time total : 19200 flight time type : 865
ASRS Report	303540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed dca runway 36 en route to ord. I was hand flying the airplane. We were cleared to climb to 17000 ft MSL on a heading to join J149 near aml VOR. First officer attempted to program the FMC for LNAV intercept of airway. He had problem getting proper course set up. My attention was diverted to monitor his activity. We climbed to approximately 17450 ft MSL before descending back to 17000 ft MSL. At no time did ATC comment on our altitude. Shortly, we were cleared to continue our climb. First officer ended up with wrong course for J149 by approximately 4 degrees. ATC notified us that we were about 6 mi south of airway. ATC then cleared us direct to geffs intersection. At no time did ATC indicate that there was any traffic conflict. Cause of problems: as captain, I accept full responsibility for the deviations. When I was aware that the first officer was having a problem, I should have put the autoplt on at that time -- no altitude overshoot would have occurred. As for the route problem, I should have used raw data VOR navigation procedures until we sorted out the FMC problem. I relied too heavily on the fancy stuff. I also gave the first officer more credit than I should have for being able to set up the correct course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ALTDEV AND OFF COURSE DUE TO FMC CONFUSION.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED DCA RWY 36 ENRTE TO ORD. I WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE. WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO 17000 FT MSL ON A HDG TO JOIN J149 NEAR AML VOR. FO ATTEMPTED TO PROGRAM THE FMC FOR LNAV INTERCEPT OF AIRWAY. HE HAD PROB GETTING PROPER COURSE SET UP. MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO MONITOR HIS ACTIVITY. WE CLBED TO APPROX 17450 FT MSL BEFORE DSNDING BACK TO 17000 FT MSL. AT NO TIME DID ATC COMMENT ON OUR ALT. SHORTLY, WE WERE CLRED TO CONTINUE OUR CLB. FO ENDED UP WITH WRONG COURSE FOR J149 BY APPROX 4 DEGS. ATC NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE ABOUT 6 MI S OF AIRWAY. ATC THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO GEFFS INTXN. AT NO TIME DID ATC INDICATE THAT THERE WAS ANY TFC CONFLICT. CAUSE OF PROBS: AS CAPT, I ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEVS. WHEN I WAS AWARE THAT THE FO WAS HAVING A PROB, I SHOULD HAVE PUT THE AUTOPLT ON AT THAT TIME -- NO ALT OVERSHOOT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. AS FOR THE RTE PROB, I SHOULD HAVE USED RAW DATA VOR NAV PROCS UNTIL WE SORTED OUT THE FMC PROB. I RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON THE FANCY STUFF. I ALSO GAVE THE FO MORE CREDIT THAN I SHOULD HAVE FOR BEING ABLE TO SET UP THE CORRECT COURSE.

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.