Flight crew of B727 turns too soon on arrival route and is given vector to get back on course.

Attributes
ACN	376820
Time
Date	199708
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : amb
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : scez
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7200
ASRS Report	376820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

On the parva 3 arrival, when turning onto the 352 degree radial from ambiguity, the first officer turned inside the radial prompting santiago center to give us a heading of 230 degrees to reintercept the 352 degree radial to ambiguity. Either the first officer turned too rapidly or the last fix before the turn was misidented. It is possible the VOR was being adjusted or having problems because the radial (002 degrees) centered before the turn was made even though it appeared to be early.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B727 TURNS TOO SOON ON ARR RTE AND IS GIVEN VECTOR TO GET BACK ON COURSE.

Narrative: ON THE PARVA 3 ARR, WHEN TURNING ONTO THE 352 DEG RADIAL FROM AMB, THE FO TURNED INSIDE THE RADIAL PROMPTING SANTIAGO CTR TO GIVE US A HDG OF 230 DEGS TO REINTERCEPT THE 352 DEG RADIAL TO AMB. EITHER THE FO TURNED TOO RAPIDLY OR THE LAST FIX BEFORE THE TURN WAS MISIDENTED. IT IS POSSIBLE THE VOR WAS BEING ADJUSTED OR HAVING PROBS BECAUSE THE RADIAL (002 DEGS) CTRED BEFORE THE TURN WAS MADE EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARED TO BE EARLY.

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.