First officer of a B737-200 was observed by approach controller off flight plan airway route after making a turn over the VOR. Controller gave vector heading to reintercept the airway.

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Attributes
ACN	456720
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mxe.vor
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v378.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	456720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a new hire first officer on the B737-200 and have just over 60 hours in type. The flight was from pvd to bwi. We were over the mxe VOR tracking V378 at around 12000 ft in VMC. We were approaching the turn on the airway to the bwi VOR and had set an intercept heading. A correction was made to compensate for the strong crosswind out of the west. At this time I started the approach briefing. As I was finishing the brief, ATC gave us a heading to rejoin the airway. The correction applied had not been sufficient and with the distraction of the briefing the aircraft had gotten slightly off course. I believe there are several reasons why this occurred. I believe my inexperience in the aircraft contributed to this situation. I also had not flown more than 6 hours in the last 2 weeks because I am on reserve and had not been used much. I also learned a more aggressive correction is needed when flying with strong winds aloft even close to the VOR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B737-200 WAS OBSERVED BY APCH CTLR OFF FLT PLAN AIRWAY RTE AFTER MAKING A TURN OVER THE VOR. CTLR GAVE VECTOR HDG TO REINTERCEPT THE AIRWAY.

Narrative: I AM A NEW HIRE FO ON THE B737-200 AND HAVE JUST OVER 60 HRS IN TYPE. THE FLT WAS FROM PVD TO BWI. WE WERE OVER THE MXE VOR TRACKING V378 AT AROUND 12000 FT IN VMC. WE WERE APCHING THE TURN ON THE AIRWAY TO THE BWI VOR AND HAD SET AN INTERCEPT HDG. A CORRECTION WAS MADE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE STRONG XWIND OUT OF THE W. AT THIS TIME I STARTED THE APCH BRIEFING. AS I WAS FINISHING THE BRIEF, ATC GAVE US A HDG TO REJOIN THE AIRWAY. THE CORRECTION APPLIED HAD NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT AND WITH THE DISTR OF THE BRIEFING THE ACFT HAD GOTTEN SLIGHTLY OFF COURSE. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THIS OCCURRED. I BELIEVE MY INEXPERIENCE IN THE ACFT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT. I ALSO HAD NOT FLOWN MORE THAN 6 HRS IN THE LAST 2 WKS BECAUSE I AM ON RESERVE AND HAD NOT BEEN USED MUCH. I ALSO LEARNED A MORE AGGRESSIVE CORRECTION IS NEEDED WHEN FLYING WITH STRONG WINDS ALOFT EVEN CLOSE TO THE VOR.

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.