MD80 crew had track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	448780
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zse.artcc
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors enroute : direct enroute airway : j154.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	448780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	448779
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While passing FL200 for FL290, and on a 130 degree heading, ZSE gave us a 120 degree heading to intercept J54. Shortly after that, we were given direct to ALS. As I put in direct to ALS, the first officer made an initial turn towards ALS which was a little too far to the northeast. Just as he started to make the correction to direct ALS, center asked on what heading we were. I told center we were passing 090 degrees for a heading of 100 degrees, which would take us direct ALS. Center then asked why we were not on a heading of 120 degrees to intercept J54. I explained he had cleared us direct ALS and we had made too large an initial heading change. He acknowledged he had given us direct ALS, but we were several mi from J54 and he needed us back to the right. He gave us a 110 degree heading for the rest of the climb. Apparently, higher than expected winds, combined with a greater than required initial turn placed us further north than center desired. There were no targets on the 20 mi scale of TCASII and we saw no conflicts with either departure or arrival traffic. Center did not indicate that any conflicts had occurred, but he did seem a little bothered by the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WHILE PASSING FL200 FOR FL290, AND ON A 130 DEG HDG, ZSE GAVE US A 120 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT J54. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT TO ALS. AS I PUT IN DIRECT TO ALS, THE FO MADE AN INITIAL TURN TOWARDS ALS WHICH WAS A LITTLE TOO FAR TO THE NE. JUST AS HE STARTED TO MAKE THE CORRECTION TO DIRECT ALS, CTR ASKED ON WHAT HDG WE WERE. I TOLD CTR WE WERE PASSING 090 DEGS FOR A HDG OF 100 DEGS, WHICH WOULD TAKE US DIRECT ALS. CTR THEN ASKED WHY WE WERE NOT ON A HDG OF 120 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J54. I EXPLAINED HE HAD CLRED US DIRECT ALS AND WE HAD MADE TOO LARGE AN INITIAL HDG CHANGE. HE ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD GIVEN US DIRECT ALS, BUT WE WERE SEVERAL MI FROM J54 AND HE NEEDED US BACK TO THE R. HE GAVE US A 110 DEG HDG FOR THE REST OF THE CLB. APPARENTLY, HIGHER THAN EXPECTED WINDS, COMBINED WITH A GREATER THAN REQUIRED INITIAL TURN PLACED US FURTHER N THAN CTR DESIRED. THERE WERE NO TARGETS ON THE 20 MI SCALE OF TCASII AND WE SAW NO CONFLICTS WITH EITHER DEP OR ARR TFC. CTR DID NOT INDICATE THAT ANY CONFLICTS HAD OCCURRED, BUT HE DID SEEM A LITTLE BOTHERED BY THE SIT.

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.