Air carrier has track deviation near txo, NM, when mode control switch selection was not correct.

Attributes
ACN	471051
Time
Date	200004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.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	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	471051
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	471050
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a clearance by ATC to deviate around a build-up and then to go to txo. When clear of the WX I entered txo in the gfms, executed it and pressed the navigation mode of the flight control panel. I had tuned txo on the VOR so that I could turn the aircraft toward txo before engaging the gfms. I apparently did not have the radial/navigation switch in the navigation position because when ATC brought it to our attention that we were not going directly to txo, the navigation control panel was in heading select rather than navigation. ATC cleared us to maintain our present heading and join the bowie 5 arrival east of txo. I allowed myself to become distraction with the preparation for our descent and approach to dfw and failed to insure that the navigation mode was shown on the annunciator panel. Supplemental information from acn 471050: the problem was a direct result of both pilots failing to verify the FMA display after selecting a new mode. Lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TRACK DEV NEAR TXO, NM, WHEN MODE CTL SWITCH SELECTION WAS NOT CORRECT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC BY ATC TO DEVIATE AROUND A BUILD-UP AND THEN TO GO TO TXO. WHEN CLR OF THE WX I ENTERED TXO IN THE GFMS, EXECUTED IT AND PRESSED THE NAV MODE OF THE FLT CTL PANEL. I HAD TUNED TXO ON THE VOR SO THAT I COULD TURN THE ACFT TOWARD TXO BEFORE ENGAGING THE GFMS. I APPARENTLY DID NOT HAVE THE RADIAL/NAV SWITCH IN THE NAV POS BECAUSE WHEN ATC BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTN THAT WE WERE NOT GOING DIRECTLY TO TXO, THE NAV CTL PANEL WAS IN HDG SELECT RATHER THAN NAV. ATC CLRED US TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT HDG AND JOIN THE BOWIE 5 ARR E OF TXO. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTR WITH THE PREPARATION FOR OUR DSCNT AND APCH TO DFW AND FAILED TO INSURE THAT THE NAV MODE WAS SHOWN ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 471050: THE PROB WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF BOTH PLTS FAILING TO VERIFY THE FMA DISPLAY AFTER SELECTING A NEW MODE. LESSON LEARNED.

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.