Medium large transport aircraft in cruise. Reporter captain erroneously switched to wrong VOR for airway navigation and deviated off course. The error was recognized and he requested a new routing clearance.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	399980
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jot
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : sdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
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 : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	399980
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Routing was irk J26 jot I46 gij. Outbound on bdf (114.7) mistakenly thought leg was 150 NM (irk-bdf leg) and switched over at 75 NM. First officer's navigation was on gij (115.4) instead of jot (112.3), so DME made sense. Not until switchover at approximately 70 DME did I notice my error, at which time I was 8-10 mi northeast of jot on 068 degree radial versus 079 degree radial. Requested direct to litchfield (lfd) (112.0) with ZAU. No conflicts noted. Fatigue was a human factor for both myself and the first officer in this navigation error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT IN CRUISE. RPTR CAPT ERRONEOUSLY SWITCHED TO WRONG VOR FOR AIRWAY NAV AND DEVIATED OFF COURSE. THE ERROR WAS RECOGNIZED AND HE REQUESTED A NEW ROUTING CLRNC.

Narrative: ROUTING WAS IRK J26 JOT I46 GIJ. OUTBOUND ON BDF (114.7) MISTAKENLY THOUGHT LEG WAS 150 NM (IRK-BDF LEG) AND SWITCHED OVER AT 75 NM. FO'S NAV WAS ON GIJ (115.4) INSTEAD OF JOT (112.3), SO DME MADE SENSE. NOT UNTIL SWITCHOVER AT APPROX 70 DME DID I NOTICE MY ERROR, AT WHICH TIME I WAS 8-10 MI NE OF JOT ON 068 DEG RADIAL VERSUS 079 DEG RADIAL. REQUESTED DIRECT TO LITCHFIELD (LFD) (112.0) WITH ZAU. NO CONFLICTS NOTED. FATIGUE WAS A HUMAN FACTOR FOR BOTH MYSELF AND THE FO IN THIS NAV ERROR.

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.