B767 crew had heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	443941
Time
Date	199907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sax.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	443941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 2910 flight time type : 870
ASRS Report	444450
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was on a heading when center reported us just south of the airway and asked if we had been left on a heading. (We had previously been given a series of turns). Due to having been up all night (night freight) and somewhat tired at that point, we also were unsure whether we had been left on a heading or told to rejoin. Before responding, center gave us a heading to rejoin. No conflicts occurred, but with fatigue being a current hot issue, this seems representative of how being tired can affect the cognitive skills. Whether being tired left us absent minded to the latest clearance received or resulted in our failure to properly ensure LNAV activation when selected, the issue of cockpit fatigue does warrant addressing -- it certainly will have more of my attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW HAD HDG DEV.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON A HDG WHEN CTR RPTED US JUST S OF THE AIRWAY AND ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN LEFT ON A HDG. (WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN GIVEN A SERIES OF TURNS). DUE TO HAVING BEEN UP ALL NIGHT (NIGHT FREIGHT) AND SOMEWHAT TIRED AT THAT POINT, WE ALSO WERE UNSURE WHETHER WE HAD BEEN LEFT ON A HDG OR TOLD TO REJOIN. BEFORE RESPONDING, CTR GAVE US A HDG TO REJOIN. NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED, BUT WITH FATIGUE BEING A CURRENT HOT ISSUE, THIS SEEMS REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW BEING TIRED CAN AFFECT THE COGNITIVE SKILLS. WHETHER BEING TIRED LEFT US ABSENT MINDED TO THE LATEST CLRNC RECEIVED OR RESULTED IN OUR FAILURE TO PROPERLY ENSURE LNAV ACTIVATION WHEN SELECTED, THE ISSUE OF COCKPIT FATIGUE DOES WARRANT ADDRESSING -- IT CERTAINLY WILL HAVE MORE OF MY ATTN.

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.