Captain of a DC9 intercepted the outbound VOR radial too soon causing ARTCC controller to give him a turn and descent to a lower altitude in order to maintain legal separation with other traffic.

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Attributes
ACN	439612
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : emi.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3000 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	439612
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Complacency strikes again. Filed for J-48 en route to atl. At EMI (westminster) I checked the chart casually for the course outbound, having been there many times before. I saw 277 degrees and intercepted the 277 degree radial very nicely for an old guy. Unfortunately the correct radial was the 227 degree radial. Approximately 10 mi after the intercept my first officer tactfully noticed we were 'possibly off course.' unfortunately as we began the turn back toward the airway, center made an obviously urgent call to us to 'turn left to heading XXX, for traffic and descend without delay to FL310. He then issued an equally urgent call to another air carrier for a right turn for traffic. My complacency in not carefully reading the chart and then rechking myself caused what appeared to me to be a conflict and a less pleasant day for our controller. If my actions didn't cause a conflict they certainly could have with a 50 degree error and 15-20 mi off course. My thanks to the controller, my apologies to the other aircraft and my crew and passenger. More attention to the details.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DC9 INTERCEPTED THE OUTBOUND VOR RADIAL TOO SOON CAUSING ARTCC CTLR TO GIVE HIM A TURN AND DSCNT TO A LOWER ALT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN LEGAL SEPARATION WITH OTHER TFC.

Narrative: COMPLACENCY STRIKES AGAIN. FILED FOR J-48 ENRTE TO ATL. AT EMI (WESTMINSTER) I CHKED THE CHART CASUALLY FOR THE COURSE OUTBOUND, HAVING BEEN THERE MANY TIMES BEFORE. I SAW 277 DEGS AND INTERCEPTED THE 277 DEG RADIAL VERY NICELY FOR AN OLD GUY. UNFORTUNATELY THE CORRECT RADIAL WAS THE 227 DEG RADIAL. APPROX 10 MI AFTER THE INTERCEPT MY FO TACTFULLY NOTICED WE WERE 'POSSIBLY OFF COURSE.' UNFORTUNATELY AS WE BEGAN THE TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRWAY, CTR MADE AN OBVIOUSLY URGENT CALL TO US TO 'TURN L TO HEADING XXX, FOR TFC AND DSND WITHOUT DELAY TO FL310. HE THEN ISSUED AN EQUALLY URGENT CALL TO ANOTHER ACR FOR A R TURN FOR TFC. MY COMPLACENCY IN NOT CAREFULLY READING THE CHART AND THEN RECHKING MYSELF CAUSED WHAT APPEARED TO ME TO BE A CONFLICT AND A LESS PLEASANT DAY FOR OUR CTLR. IF MY ACTIONS DIDN'T CAUSE A CONFLICT THEY CERTAINLY COULD HAVE WITH A 50 DEG ERROR AND 15-20 MI OFF COURSE. MY THANKS TO THE CTLR, MY APOLOGIES TO THE OTHER ACFT AND MY CREW AND PAX. MORE ATTN TO THE DETAILS.

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.