MD80 crew appeared off course on their VOR receivers.

Attributes
ACN	469907
Time
Date	200004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	WV
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : finks 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	469907
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	470140
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility

Narrative:

Navigation error. On finks 6 to dca past puttz, I instructed first officer to change his VOR to aml 079 degree radial inbound while I (PF) tracked. When I changed over to aml, found ourselves north of course. Instructed first officer to switch to ldn for turn at doccs and confirmed we were north of course. ATC never questioned our position until we asked them to verify it, as we receiving ldn. They then cleared us direct aml. The rest of the flight proceeded without further event. Additional information: this crew is very inexperienced. This was my first trip after IOE. First officer is 6 months with air carrier and has a total of about 200 hours on MD80. This was the last leg of a very eventful 3 day trip. However, fatigue is not the true cause of this navigation error. A new captain can become task saturated very easily, when dealing with an inexperienced first officer -- thunderstorms, icing, and being used to FMC equipped aircraft. I have to dedicate myself to be extra attentive under these circumstances.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW APPEARED OFF COURSE ON THEIR VOR RECEIVERS.

Narrative: NAV ERROR. ON FINKS 6 TO DCA PAST PUTTZ, I INSTRUCTED FO TO CHANGE HIS VOR TO AML 079 DEG RADIAL INBOUND WHILE I (PF) TRACKED. WHEN I CHANGED OVER TO AML, FOUND OURSELVES N OF COURSE. INSTRUCTED FO TO SWITCH TO LDN FOR TURN AT DOCCS AND CONFIRMED WE WERE N OF COURSE. ATC NEVER QUESTIONED OUR POS UNTIL WE ASKED THEM TO VERIFY IT, AS WE RECEIVING LDN. THEY THEN CLRED US DIRECT AML. THE REST OF THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT. ADDITIONAL INFO: THIS CREW IS VERY INEXPERIENCED. THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP AFTER IOE. FO IS 6 MONTHS WITH ACR AND HAS A TOTAL OF ABOUT 200 HRS ON MD80. THIS WAS THE LAST LEG OF A VERY EVENTFUL 3 DAY TRIP. HOWEVER, FATIGUE IS NOT THE TRUE CAUSE OF THIS NAV ERROR. A NEW CAPT CAN BECOME TASK SATURATED VERY EASILY, WHEN DEALING WITH AN INEXPERIENCED FO -- TSTMS, ICING, AND BEING USED TO FMC EQUIPPED ACFT. I HAVE TO DEDICATE MYSELF TO BE EXTRA ATTENTIVE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.