An EMB145 in cruise at 17000 ft flies past its turning point on a STAR arrival into ewr, nj.

Attributes
ACN	426250
Time
Date	199901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eno
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	426250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	425886
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on the rbv 1 arrival to ewr, the captain (who was flying) missed the turn at davys (50 mi northeast of smyrna). We were 5 mi outside of the course. Controller gave us an immediate turn to 180 degrees. We were at 17000 ft. Then an immediate descent to 8000 ft. I approximate that we were equal to holey when the controller gave us lower. It appears that the controller forgot about us. We should have been cleared to 8000 ft way before davys because the EMB145 travels roughly 8 mi per min. After many arrs, the descent is a cue for the turn for us. But we obviously missed the turn. The controller then gave us 11000 ft in the descent. We made 11000 ft in 1 min. Then we were given direct to robbinsville. The shortest distance was a left turn 150 degrees. 1/2 way through the turn, the controller asked if we were in a right turn. Then we replied 'no.' then we turned right to rbv, direct. Then the controller apologized for the descent and handed us over to approach. The problem occurred I believe for 2 reasons: 1) inaccurate VOR needles. EMB145 radios are very inaccurate. We need to be able to use the FMS. Currently we are not certified to use the FMS. It is installed but the company can't use it. 2) preoccupation with conversation. Supplemental information from acn 425886: before handoff, we apologized to the controller for missing the turn, he thanks us for the apology, and said that it was his mistake (for having kept us too high, too far into the arrival). The controller had us much higher than one would normally be at that point on the arrival. Normally, somewhere between skipy and bessi, ATC would tell us to cross holey intersection and maintain 11000 ft. If ATC did, we would have referenced our STAR plate to calculate our required descent rate. This, in my opinion, would have provided situational awareness that probably would have caused us to not miss the turn at davys. So, without the usual restr 'prompt,' we were cruising along, not referencing the STAR often enough. We fell out of routine. In conclusion, it comes back to disciplined habits of always being situationally aware.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 IN CRUISE AT 17000 FT FLIES PAST ITS TURNING POINT ON A STAR ARR INTO EWR, NJ.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE RBV 1 ARR TO EWR, THE CAPT (WHO WAS FLYING) MISSED THE TURN AT DAVYS (50 MI NE OF SMYRNA). WE WERE 5 MI OUTSIDE OF THE COURSE. CTLR GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 180 DEGS. WE WERE AT 17000 FT. THEN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 8000 FT. I APPROXIMATE THAT WE WERE EQUAL TO HOLEY WHEN THE CTLR GAVE US LOWER. IT APPEARS THAT THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED TO 8000 FT WAY BEFORE DAVYS BECAUSE THE EMB145 TRAVELS ROUGHLY 8 MI PER MIN. AFTER MANY ARRS, THE DSCNT IS A CUE FOR THE TURN FOR US. BUT WE OBVIOUSLY MISSED THE TURN. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US 11000 FT IN THE DSCNT. WE MADE 11000 FT IN 1 MIN. THEN WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT TO ROBBINSVILLE. THE SHORTEST DISTANCE WAS A L TURN 150 DEGS. 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE IN A R TURN. THEN WE REPLIED 'NO.' THEN WE TURNED R TO RBV, DIRECT. THEN THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR THE DSCNT AND HANDED US OVER TO APCH. THE PROB OCCURRED I BELIEVE FOR 2 REASONS: 1) INACCURATE VOR NEEDLES. EMB145 RADIOS ARE VERY INACCURATE. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THE FMS. CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT CERTIFIED TO USE THE FMS. IT IS INSTALLED BUT THE COMPANY CAN'T USE IT. 2) PREOCCUPATION WITH CONVERSATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 425886: BEFORE HDOF, WE APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR FOR MISSING THE TURN, HE THANKS US FOR THE APOLOGY, AND SAID THAT IT WAS HIS MISTAKE (FOR HAVING KEPT US TOO HIGH, TOO FAR INTO THE ARR). THE CTLR HAD US MUCH HIGHER THAN ONE WOULD NORMALLY BE AT THAT POINT ON THE ARR. NORMALLY, SOMEWHERE BTWN SKIPY AND BESSI, ATC WOULD TELL US TO CROSS HOLEY INTXN AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT. IF ATC DID, WE WOULD HAVE REFED OUR STAR PLATE TO CALCULATE OUR REQUIRED DSCNT RATE. THIS, IN MY OPINION, WOULD HAVE PROVIDED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUSED US TO NOT MISS THE TURN AT DAVYS. SO, WITHOUT THE USUAL RESTR 'PROMPT,' WE WERE CRUISING ALONG, NOT REFING THE STAR OFTEN ENOUGH. WE FELL OUT OF ROUTINE. IN CONCLUSION, IT COMES BACK TO DISCIPLINED HABITS OF ALWAYS BEING SITUATIONALLY AWARE.

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.