ARTCC advises crew they are off course and airspeed is slow.

Attributes
ACN	480781
Time
Date	200008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rzs.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	arrival star : robie. robie 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	480781
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 19000
ASRS Report	480780
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZLA advised us that we were 12 mi west of the robie two arrival (sjc robie.ROBIE2). They also asked us our speed and advised us that we were flying slower than filed. Center had previously (80 mi earlier) cleared us direct rzs. We thought the LNAV function had been engaged, and I had set my VOR to back up the LNAV function. I missed the crossing of the VOR, and the needle stayed centered on my VOR, but the LNAV hadn't been engaged, or became disengaged somehow. There was also discussion in the cockpit with a flight attendant regarding a passenger issue which caused us to divert our attention from airspeed control, and we slowed .03 mach during that time. Distraction caused us to miss the station passage at the VOR and to not make the speed degradation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC ADVISES CREW THEY ARE OFF COURSE AND AIRSPD IS SLOW.

Narrative: ZLA ADVISED US THAT WE WERE 12 MI W OF THE ROBIE TWO ARR (SJC ROBIE.ROBIE2). THEY ALSO ASKED US OUR SPD AND ADVISED US THAT WE WERE FLYING SLOWER THAN FILED. CTR HAD PREVIOUSLY (80 MI EARLIER) CLRED US DIRECT RZS. WE THOUGHT THE LNAV FUNCTION HAD BEEN ENGAGED, AND I HAD SET MY VOR TO BACK UP THE LNAV FUNCTION. I MISSED THE XING OF THE VOR, AND THE NEEDLE STAYED CTRED ON MY VOR, BUT THE LNAV HADN'T BEEN ENGAGED, OR BECAME DISENGAGED SOMEHOW. THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION IN THE COCKPIT WITH A FLT ATTENDANT REGARDING A PAX ISSUE WHICH CAUSED US TO DIVERT OUR ATTN FROM AIRSPD CTL, AND WE SLOWED .03 MACH DURING THAT TIME. DISTR CAUSED US TO MISS THE STATION PASSAGE AT THE VOR AND TO NOT MAKE THE SPD DEGRADATION.

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.