Narrative:

Just prior to jvl on arrival to ord, the captain tuned the ord VOR and selected the 309 degree radial, 129 degree course, to help in identing krena. Upon reaching jvl, we were issued holding instructions. The first officer began the turn out of jvl and saw 129 degrees in the captain's course selector -- remembered just seeing 109 degrees and 129 degrees on the arrival chart, skipped 109 degrees and set 129 degrees in his course select. The captain realized the error and we turned back to course just as ZAU caught the error. Contributing to the error was a flight attendant opening the cockpit door, the issuance of holding instructions, and station passage all occurring simultaneously.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SUPER MD80 EXPERIENCED A COURSE DEV CAUSED BY INCORRECT COURSE SELECTION ENTERED IN #1 COURSE SELECT PANEL.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO JVL ON ARR TO ORD, THE CAPT TUNED THE ORD VOR AND SELECTED THE 309 DEG RADIAL, 129 DEG COURSE, TO HELP IN IDENTING KRENA. UPON REACHING JVL, WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. THE FO BEGAN THE TURN OUT OF JVL AND SAW 129 DEGS IN THE CAPT'S COURSE SELECTOR -- REMEMBERED JUST SEEING 109 DEGS AND 129 DEGS ON THE ARR CHART, SKIPPED 109 DEGS AND SET 129 DEGS IN HIS COURSE SELECT. THE CAPT REALIZED THE ERROR AND WE TURNED BACK TO COURSE JUST AS ZAU CAUGHT THE ERROR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ERROR WAS A FLT ATTENDANT OPENING THE COCKPIT DOOR, THE ISSUANCE OF HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS, AND STATION PASSAGE ALL OCCURRING SIMULTANEOUSLY.

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.