Track deviation leads to a gross navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	312303
Time
Date	199507
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	312303
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	312177
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

South of the champ intersection, on A300 out of new york city, we experienced a temporary navigation failure. The aircraft was equipped with a single omega. The ambiguity light then the dead reckoning light came on indicating that the system was no longer able to provide accurate information. Being unable to ascertain our present position or follow the airway, we elected to take a conservative course of action by flying a southwest direction toward land while we attempted to contact ny commercial radio. After several mins, the omega warning lights went out and the system operated normally. Ny commercial radio sel-called us and requested our position. We reported our position and advised them of our navigation problem and requested instructions. Because the omega was by then operating normally, we felt we could return to A300 and so advised new york. New york gave us clearance to rejoin A300. The flight was completed without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV LEADS TO A GROSS NAV ERROR.

Narrative: S OF THE CHAMP INTXN, ON A300 OUT OF NEW YORK CITY, WE EXPERIENCED A TEMPORARY NAV FAILURE. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SINGLE OMEGA. THE AMBIGUITY LIGHT THEN THE DEAD RECKONING LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING THAT THE SYS WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFO. BEING UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN OUR PRESENT POS OR FOLLOW THE AIRWAY, WE ELECTED TO TAKE A CONSERVATIVE COURSE OF ACTION BY FLYING A SW DIRECTION TOWARD LAND WHILE WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT NY COMMERCIAL RADIO. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, THE OMEGA WARNING LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE SYS OPERATED NORMALLY. NY COMMERCIAL RADIO SEL-CALLED US AND REQUESTED OUR POS. WE RPTED OUR POS AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR NAV PROB AND REQUESTED INSTRUCTIONS. BECAUSE THE OMEGA WAS BY THEN OPERATING NORMALLY, WE FELT WE COULD RETURN TO A300 AND SO ADVISED NEW YORK. NEW YORK GAVE US CLRNC TO REJOIN A300. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.