Track deviation. New first officer captain distracted.

Attributes
ACN	321160
Time
Date	199511
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	321160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The clearance was to fly out the giper 092 degrees to 36 DME then direct to fort wayne. I as captain, was the non flying crew member and was in a discussion with the senior flight attendant concerning an unusual noise at mid-cabin. The first officer, in only his 3RD month at airline, and I had discussed our routing and clearance just prior to arriving at giper. He was unsure why, my conversation with the flight attendant or other distraction, but he then proceeded direct to ft wayne. ZAU called. I acknowledged our error, and we then called center from our destination. They said no conflict was caused. We said we were sorry and apologized for our error. The bottom line is stay alert even if you are working one problem, maintain your awareness or another will sneak up on you.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV. NEW FO CAPT DISTRACTED.

Narrative: THE CLRNC WAS TO FLY OUT THE GIPER 092 DEGS TO 36 DME THEN DIRECT TO FORT WAYNE. I AS CAPT, WAS THE NON FLYING CREW MEMBER AND WAS IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT CONCERNING AN UNUSUAL NOISE AT MID-CABIN. THE FO, IN ONLY HIS 3RD MONTH AT AIRLINE, AND I HAD DISCUSSED OUR ROUTING AND CLRNC JUST PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT GIPER. HE WAS UNSURE WHY, MY CONVERSATION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT OR OTHER DISTR, BUT HE THEN PROCEEDED DIRECT TO FT WAYNE. ZAU CALLED. I ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ERROR, AND WE THEN CALLED CTR FROM OUR DEST. THEY SAID NO CONFLICT WAS CAUSED. WE SAID WE WERE SORRY AND APOLOGIZED FOR OUR ERROR. THE BOTTOM LINE IS STAY ALERT EVEN IF YOU ARE WORKING ONE PROB, MAINTAIN YOUR AWARENESS OR ANOTHER WILL SNEAK UP ON YOU.

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.