<< >> NASA ASRS Report 387240, December 1997

First officer of a DC9-30 failed to maintain the vector heading given by ATC resulting in ATC intervention to bring reporting captain's aircraft back on course.

Attributes
ACN	387240
Time
Date	199712
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cyn
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	387240
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	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:

Given clearance tsy ny center to fly heading 265 degrees expect air VORTAC in 40 mi. First officer was flying, he tuned in air to receive signal. I stayed on coyle VORTAC for orientation until we received air. The 265 degree heading is very close to direct air. When air was received first officer started to track direct air. I did not notice this. Controller queried us on our heading. I stated 270 degrees which what it was. The controller stated to maintain heading 265 degrees expect direct air. I think the way to prevent this is when given a heading by ATC with expect direct to turn OTS south to some unrelated course until cleared direct, especially when direct and the heading are close. We always wait to center the needle. No conflict with traffic or anything occurred. Just a good learning experience.

Related reports:

• Captain of a B737-200 failed to maintain assigned heading by...
• Air carrier was allowed to deviate around WX resulting in la...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A DC9-30 FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE VECTOR HEADING GIVEN BY ATC RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION TO BRING RPTING CAPT'S ACFT BACK ON COURSE.

Narrative: GIVEN CLRNC TSY NY CTR TO FLY HDG 265 DEGS EXPECT AIR VORTAC IN 40 MI. FO WAS FLYING, HE TUNED IN AIR TO RECEIVE SIGNAL. I STAYED ON COYLE VORTAC FOR ORIENTATION UNTIL WE RECEIVED AIR. THE 265 DEG HDG IS VERY CLOSE TO DIRECT AIR. WHEN AIR WAS RECEIVED FO STARTED TO TRACK DIRECT AIR. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS. CTLR QUERIED US ON OUR HEADING. I STATED 270 DEGS WHICH WHAT IT WAS. THE CTLR STATED TO MAINTAIN HDG 265 DEGS EXPECT DIRECT AIR. I THINK THE WAY TO PREVENT THIS IS WHEN GIVEN A HEADING BY ATC WITH EXPECT DIRECT TO TURN OTS S TO SOME UNRELATED COURSE UNTIL CLRED DIRECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN DIRECT AND THE HEADING ARE CLOSE. WE ALWAYS WAIT TO CTR THE NEEDLE. NO CONFLICT WITH TFC OR ANYTHING OCCURRED. JUST A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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.