A B747F 30 NM off course en route to anc in oceanic airspace.

Attributes
ACN	437565
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : plado
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-C/F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : a590.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	437565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a scheduled flight from narita to anc and were told by san francisco to contact zan at plado intersection on VHF. About 4-5 mins before plado, zan called us up on the VHF frequency which we at this time were monitoring. Just after that, I noticed that the waypoint alert light on the INS came on indicating we were close to crossing our next waypoint. However, when I glanced at the first officer's INS I saw that we were still 30+ mi from plado intersection with nearly 4 mins left to crossing. I started to discuss this situation with the first officer and the flight engineer. (We see this a lot if you're being radar vectored and pass abeam a waypoint instead of over it.) however, before we could finish analyzing the situation, zan called us back and told us we were radar idented and south of course. Our INS confirmed that we were between 28-29 NM off. We confirmed that with the controller and told him we would correct back on course. We also noticed that the autoplt selector switch was in heading instead of INS. We made the correction and the rest of the flight was normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747F 30 NM OFF COURSE ENRTE TO ANC IN OCEANIC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM NARITA TO ANC AND WERE TOLD BY SAN FRANCISCO TO CONTACT ZAN AT PLADO INTXN ON VHF. ABOUT 4-5 MINS BEFORE PLADO, ZAN CALLED US UP ON THE VHF FREQ WHICH WE AT THIS TIME WERE MONITORING. JUST AFTER THAT, I NOTICED THAT THE WAYPOINT ALERT LIGHT ON THE INS CAME ON INDICATING WE WERE CLOSE TO XING OUR NEXT WAYPOINT. HOWEVER, WHEN I GLANCED AT THE FO'S INS I SAW THAT WE WERE STILL 30+ MI FROM PLADO INTXN WITH NEARLY 4 MINS LEFT TO XING. I STARTED TO DISCUSS THIS SIT WITH THE FO AND THE FE. (WE SEE THIS A LOT IF YOU'RE BEING RADAR VECTORED AND PASS ABEAM A WAYPOINT INSTEAD OF OVER IT.) HOWEVER, BEFORE WE COULD FINISH ANALYZING THE SIT, ZAN CALLED US BACK AND TOLD US WE WERE RADAR IDENTED AND S OF COURSE. OUR INS CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE BTWN 28-29 NM OFF. WE CONFIRMED THAT WITH THE CTLR AND TOLD HIM WE WOULD CORRECT BACK ON COURSE. WE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE AUTOPLT SELECTOR SWITCH WAS IN HDG INSTEAD OF INS. WE MADE THE CORRECTION AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL.

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.