Widebody transport cargo jet strays from course when a waypoint is not programmed in the INS.

Attributes
ACN	347180
Time
Date	199609
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j80
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 : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	347180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

Route of flight was from ewr to lax. Scheduled departure time was XA10 EDT. We were advised at XA00 that a pre departure clearance was not available due to a computer malfunction. At this point, clearance (cpt) was contacted, and complete routing change was received. This made the filed routing on our flight plan/release useless. At this point we began programming INS waypoints using en route charts. The new routing was 'ewr 5 eliot etx J80 mkc' etc. The INS coordinates were entered but not rechked due to trying to make an on-time departure. Because of this, one important fix was missed. From over etx J80 goes to kippi intersection and then to air. I had J80 set up on the CDI, but we were navigating on INS. After passing etx, I noticed that the aircraft did not turn on the course I had set in. I checked the chart and the INS waypoints and discovered that kippi was not entered. I started a left turn to correct back on course at about the same time ATC (ZNY) advised us that west were 6 mi right of course and should correct to the left (already under way). Needless to say, in the future, proper cockpit setup procedures will take priority over trying to make a scheduled departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CARGO JET STRAYS FROM COURSE WHEN A WAYPOINT IS NOT PROGRAMMED IN THE INS.

Narrative: RTE OF FLT WAS FROM EWR TO LAX. SCHEDULED DEP TIME WAS XA10 EDT. WE WERE ADVISED AT XA00 THAT A PDC WAS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. AT THIS POINT, CLRNC (CPT) WAS CONTACTED, AND COMPLETE ROUTING CHANGE WAS RECEIVED. THIS MADE THE FILED ROUTING ON OUR FLT PLAN/RELEASE USELESS. AT THIS POINT WE BEGAN PROGRAMMING INS WAYPOINTS USING ENRTE CHARTS. THE NEW ROUTING WAS 'EWR 5 ELIOT ETX J80 MKC' ETC. THE INS COORDINATES WERE ENTERED BUT NOT RECHKED DUE TO TRYING TO MAKE AN ON-TIME DEP. BECAUSE OF THIS, ONE IMPORTANT FIX WAS MISSED. FROM OVER ETX J80 GOES TO KIPPI INTXN AND THEN TO AIR. I HAD J80 SET UP ON THE CDI, BUT WE WERE NAVING ON INS. AFTER PASSING ETX, I NOTICED THAT THE ACFT DID NOT TURN ON THE COURSE I HAD SET IN. I CHKED THE CHART AND THE INS WAYPOINTS AND DISCOVERED THAT KIPPI WAS NOT ENTERED. I STARTED A L TURN TO CORRECT BACK ON COURSE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME ATC (ZNY) ADVISED US THAT W WERE 6 MI R OF COURSE AND SHOULD CORRECT TO THE L (ALREADY UNDER WAY). NEEDLESS TO SAY, IN THE FUTURE, PROPER COCKPIT SETUP PROCS WILL TAKE PRIORITY OVER TRYING TO MAKE A SCHEDULED DEP.

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.