A DC9 flight crew were distraction and departed from the assigned route near dbq.

Attributes
ACN	446060
Time
Date	199908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dbq.vortac
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl single value : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.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
Route In Use	enroute airway : ns.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	446060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Navigation deviation. Shortly before reaching dbq, became preoccupied with an error that was noticed on our landing data page (ACARS generated maximum gross load program). In an attempt to correct the landing flap error that was sent to crew via ACARS from load control and manually check landing distance from charts in quick reference manual, I did not turn the aircraft in a timely manner and was 20 mi southeast of dbq on the 125 degree radial before turning direct to cva per flight plan. Simultaneously I was prompted by ZAU to go direct cva. About a min later, was subsequently cleared direct to bdf which would have been close to our previous off course heading. No known traffic conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC WERE DISTR AND DEPARTED FROM THE ASSIGNED RTE NEAR DBQ.

Narrative: NAV DEV. SHORTLY BEFORE REACHING DBQ, BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH AN ERROR THAT WAS NOTICED ON OUR LNDG DATA PAGE (ACARS GENERATED MAX GROSS LOAD PROGRAM). IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE LNDG FLAP ERROR THAT WAS SENT TO CREW VIA ACARS FROM LOAD CTL AND MANUALLY CHK LNDG DISTANCE FROM CHARTS IN QUICK REF MANUAL, I DID NOT TURN THE ACFT IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WAS 20 MI SE OF DBQ ON THE 125 DEG RADIAL BEFORE TURNING DIRECT TO CVA PER FLT PLAN. SIMULTANEOUSLY I WAS PROMPTED BY ZAU TO GO DIRECT CVA. ABOUT A MIN LATER, WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED DIRECT TO BDF WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO OUR PREVIOUS OFF COURSE HDG. NO KNOWN TFC CONFLICTS.

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.