B737-400 crew had track deviation in ZLA and ZLC class a.

Attributes
ACN	495043
Time
Date	200012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	495043
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	495680
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route phx to pdx in cruise at FL350, center gave us several vectors for traffic. After the vectors were no longer needed, we were given 'direct imb' -- a VOR hundreds of mi away. With our dual GPS navigation and FMS system, and anticipating the 'direct imb' clearance, I quickly selected the imb waypoint and pushed 'execute,' thus establishing the LNAV path direct to imb. But, neither I nor the first officer selected the 'LNAV' mode which would make the airplane fly the intended path. Essentially, we stayed in 'heading select' but, as the heading assigned was approximately the same as that heading 'direct to imb,' neither of us noticed the error. Eventually, due to complacency, we did not notice we were being blown off course by a crosswind and ended up embarrassingly east of the original direct path to imb. Center called us to inquire whether we were going 'direct' and we noted our error and adjusted. The problem was probably caused partially by my entering the 'direct' routing in the FMC, while it was the first officer's leg, so we each probably assumed the other pilot would select LNAV. It was a sunny, pleasant afternoon, a smooth ride, and a stupid, complacent mistake!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 CREW HAD TRACK DEV IN ZLA AND ZLC CLASS A.

Narrative: ENRTE PHX TO PDX IN CRUISE AT FL350, CTR GAVE US SEVERAL VECTORS FOR TFC. AFTER THE VECTORS WERE NO LONGER NEEDED, WE WERE GIVEN 'DIRECT IMB' -- A VOR HUNDREDS OF MI AWAY. WITH OUR DUAL GPS NAV AND FMS SYS, AND ANTICIPATING THE 'DIRECT IMB' CLRNC, I QUICKLY SELECTED THE IMB WAYPOINT AND PUSHED 'EXECUTE,' THUS ESTABLISHING THE LNAV PATH DIRECT TO IMB. BUT, NEITHER I NOR THE FO SELECTED THE 'LNAV' MODE WHICH WOULD MAKE THE AIRPLANE FLY THE INTENDED PATH. ESSENTIALLY, WE STAYED IN 'HDG SELECT' BUT, AS THE HDG ASSIGNED WAS APPROX THE SAME AS THAT HDG 'DIRECT TO IMB,' NEITHER OF US NOTICED THE ERROR. EVENTUALLY, DUE TO COMPLACENCY, WE DID NOT NOTICE WE WERE BEING BLOWN OFF COURSE BY A XWIND AND ENDED UP EMBARRASSINGLY E OF THE ORIGINAL DIRECT PATH TO IMB. CTR CALLED US TO INQUIRE WHETHER WE WERE GOING 'DIRECT' AND WE NOTED OUR ERROR AND ADJUSTED. THE PROB WAS PROBABLY CAUSED PARTIALLY BY MY ENTERING THE 'DIRECT' ROUTING IN THE FMC, WHILE IT WAS THE FO'S LEG, SO WE EACH PROBABLY ASSUMED THE OTHER PLT WOULD SELECT LNAV. IT WAS A SUNNY, PLEASANT AFTERNOON, A SMOOTH RIDE, AND A STUPID, COMPLACENT MISTAKE!

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.