B737 flight crew attempts to capture the 255 degree radial into dca VOR instead of the assigned 255 ...

Attributes
ACN	473370
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bal.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	473370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	473747
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching balance VOR speed 210 KTS. At 10000 ft MSL, we were instructed by ATC: 'after baltimore, fly the baltimore 255 degree radial.' first officer was off frequency reporting an in-flight mechanical (APU detector inoperative light illuminated) to operations. Already navigating using LNAV, I input the dca intercept radial and utilized a direct intercept to track the dca 255 degree radial inbound. The first officer and I had already briefed the rosslyn lda runway 19 into dca. Because our radios were set up for this approach and because I was navigating LNAV, I initially thought my input of the above-mentioned intercept was appropriate and also relieved me of having to remove the approach information. After passing balance, as the aircraft turned swbound to intercept, I realized that I should have utilized raw data for balance instead of LNAV. As I was setting this up, ATC contacted us (first officer was still talking to operations) and said we went through the radial and turn immediately to a 290 degree heading and descend to 8000 ft. He said there was either an F16 (or F4) off our left and repeated his instruction. I immediately removed the autoplt and autothrottle and followed the ATC instruction. I glanced at the radar/TCASII and did not see yellow (TA) or red (RA). We had the WX radar on (showing green) so I could not clearly see the altitude information of the closest aircraft (non conflicting). There was no aural TCASII warning (TA or RA). Nothing else was said by ATC and we were vectored for our approach. At this point, first officer was back on frequency and I explained to him the logic I used and we discussed how it might not be accurate. For the last several months of only flying the dca shuttle even though I am very aware of the complacency issue, I am in the 'LNAV' mode 99% of the time. I think that contributed to my very slow transition to the 'raw data' mode. Also, because we already briefed the approach, which is very nonstandard, I did not want to change my radio navigation frequency or course. I believe my wanting to 'keep it simple' also contributed to my 'choice.' the first officer being 'out of the loop' was also a factor. Vigilance and awareness of the 'literal' nature of ATC instructions is key.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE THE 255 DEG RADIAL INTO DCA VOR INSTEAD OF THE ASSIGNED 255 DEG RADIAL OUT OF BAL VOR, 10 MI SW OF BAL, MD.

Narrative: APCHING BAL VOR SPD 210 KTS. AT 10000 FT MSL, WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ATC: 'AFTER BALTIMORE, FLY THE BALTIMORE 255 DEG RADIAL.' FO WAS OFF FREQ RPTING AN INFLT MECHANICAL (APU DETECTOR INOP LIGHT ILLUMINATED) TO OPS. ALREADY NAVING USING LNAV, I INPUT THE DCA INTERCEPT RADIAL AND UTILIZED A DIRECT INTERCEPT TO TRACK THE DCA 255 DEG RADIAL INBOUND. THE FO AND I HAD ALREADY BRIEFED THE ROSSLYN LDA RWY 19 INTO DCA. BECAUSE OUR RADIOS WERE SET UP FOR THIS APCH AND BECAUSE I WAS NAVING LNAV, I INITIALLY THOUGHT MY INPUT OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INTERCEPT WAS APPROPRIATE AND ALSO RELIEVED ME OF HAVING TO REMOVE THE APCH INFO. AFTER PASSING BAL, AS THE ACFT TURNED SWBOUND TO INTERCEPT, I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD HAVE UTILIZED RAW DATA FOR BAL INSTEAD OF LNAV. AS I WAS SETTING THIS UP, ATC CONTACTED US (FO WAS STILL TALKING TO OPS) AND SAID WE WENT THROUGH THE RADIAL AND TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A 290 DEG HDG AND DSND TO 8000 FT. HE SAID THERE WAS EITHER AN F16 (OR F4) OFF OUR L AND REPEATED HIS INSTRUCTION. I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE AND FOLLOWED THE ATC INSTRUCTION. I GLANCED AT THE RADAR/TCASII AND DID NOT SEE YELLOW (TA) OR RED (RA). WE HAD THE WX RADAR ON (SHOWING GREEN) SO I COULD NOT CLRLY SEE THE ALT INFO OF THE CLOSEST ACFT (NON CONFLICTING). THERE WAS NO AURAL TCASII WARNING (TA OR RA). NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY ATC AND WE WERE VECTORED FOR OUR APCH. AT THIS POINT, FO WAS BACK ON FREQ AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE LOGIC I USED AND WE DISCUSSED HOW IT MIGHT NOT BE ACCURATE. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF ONLY FLYING THE DCA SHUTTLE EVEN THOUGH I AM VERY AWARE OF THE COMPLACENCY ISSUE, I AM IN THE 'LNAV' MODE 99% OF THE TIME. I THINK THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY VERY SLOW TRANSITION TO THE 'RAW DATA' MODE. ALSO, BECAUSE WE ALREADY BRIEFED THE APCH, WHICH IS VERY NONSTANDARD, I DID NOT WANT TO CHANGE MY RADIO NAV FREQ OR COURSE. I BELIEVE MY WANTING TO 'KEEP IT SIMPLE' ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO MY 'CHOICE.' THE FO BEING 'OUT OF THE LOOP' WAS ALSO A FACTOR. VIGILANCE AND AWARENESS OF THE 'LITERAL' NATURE OF ATC INSTRUCTIONS IS KEY.

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.

B737 flight crew attempts to capture the 255 degree radial into dca VOR instead of the assigned 255 degree radial out of balance VOR, 10 mi southwest of balance, md.