A BE40 crew, on a maintenance flight, because distraction and diverted from assigned route.

Attributes
ACN	529908
Time
Date	200111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechcraft, Beech Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	529908
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight (myself, copilot and maintenance technician) departed our maintenance facility at ZZZ, us, for test flight after a major inspection. Our filed route was direct to gqo VOR, then the arrival back into ZZZ. As we were flying direct to gqo at approximately FL250, we were all preoccupied with troubleshooting corrected items, especially being concerned about the possibility of a thrust reverser deploying. A male ATC gave us 'direct gqo.' I complied and pushed the 'navigation' button on my side of the FMS. In a few mins, I noticed our heading was slightly off. As I was correcting (to direct gqo again) ATC queried our heading. We responded, 'direct to gqo.' nothing more was said from ATC and he handed us off to another ATC controller to continue our climb. (I believe my copilot pushed my 'navigation' button after I did, which canceled out my command to the autoplt. Fortunately, I caught it and corrected immediately.) now, we were with a different controller, still direct to gqo. We were flying northwest, gqo was the 'tip' of the triangle on our filed return to go back to ZZZ. I noticed that the autoplt began a left turn prior to reaching gqo (probably because the angle of that corner of the triangle was so tight, it required too tight of a radius of turn and the airplane was trying to stay on the flight plan. When I saw the autoplt turning the airplane, I immediately took off the autoplt and turned back toward gqo. Simultaneously, the controller queried our heading, my copilot advised controller what I just explained above, and we were correcting. Controller said ok, and asked if vectors could given to us for our climb to FL310. We advised we were happy to comply. We were just a maintenance flight. Although ATC never requested us to call, I believe submitting this report is prudent. A 'simple' test flight can be very distracting. Also, I had never seen such a tight turn on a flight plan. Now, I have learned how to 'inhibit' the autoplt in FMS mode, in order not to 'lead' the turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE40 CREW, ON A MAINT FLT, BECAUSE DISTR AND DIVERTED FROM ASSIGNED RTE.

Narrative: OUR FLT (MYSELF, COPLT AND MAINT TECHNICIAN) DEPARTED OUR MAINT FACILITY AT ZZZ, US, FOR TEST FLT AFTER A MAJOR INSPECTION. OUR FILED RTE WAS DIRECT TO GQO VOR, THEN THE ARR BACK INTO ZZZ. AS WE WERE FLYING DIRECT TO GQO AT APPROX FL250, WE WERE ALL PREOCCUPIED WITH TROUBLESHOOTING CORRECTED ITEMS, ESPECIALLY BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A THRUST REVERSER DEPLOYING. A MALE ATC GAVE US 'DIRECT GQO.' I COMPLIED AND PUSHED THE 'NAV' BUTTON ON MY SIDE OF THE FMS. IN A FEW MINS, I NOTICED OUR HDG WAS SLIGHTLY OFF. AS I WAS CORRECTING (TO DIRECT GQO AGAIN) ATC QUERIED OUR HDG. WE RESPONDED, 'DIRECT TO GQO.' NOTHING MORE WAS SAID FROM ATC AND HE HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER ATC CTLR TO CONTINUE OUR CLB. (I BELIEVE MY COPLT PUSHED MY 'NAV' BUTTON AFTER I DID, WHICH CANCELED OUT MY COMMAND TO THE AUTOPLT. FORTUNATELY, I CAUGHT IT AND CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY.) NOW, WE WERE WITH A DIFFERENT CTLR, STILL DIRECT TO GQO. WE WERE FLYING NW, GQO WAS THE 'TIP' OF THE TRIANGLE ON OUR FILED RETURN TO GO BACK TO ZZZ. I NOTICED THAT THE AUTOPLT BEGAN A L TURN PRIOR TO REACHING GQO (PROBABLY BECAUSE THE ANGLE OF THAT CORNER OF THE TRIANGLE WAS SO TIGHT, IT REQUIRED TOO TIGHT OF A RADIUS OF TURN AND THE AIRPLANE WAS TRYING TO STAY ON THE FLT PLAN. WHEN I SAW THE AUTOPLT TURNING THE AIRPLANE, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK OFF THE AUTOPLT AND TURNED BACK TOWARD GQO. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE CTLR QUERIED OUR HDG, MY COPLT ADVISED CTLR WHAT I JUST EXPLAINED ABOVE, AND WE WERE CORRECTING. CTLR SAID OK, AND ASKED IF VECTORS COULD GIVEN TO US FOR OUR CLB TO FL310. WE ADVISED WE WERE HAPPY TO COMPLY. WE WERE JUST A MAINT FLT. ALTHOUGH ATC NEVER REQUESTED US TO CALL, I BELIEVE SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS PRUDENT. A 'SIMPLE' TEST FLT CAN BE VERY DISTRACTING. ALSO, I HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A TIGHT TURN ON A FLT PLAN. NOW, I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO 'INHIBIT' THE AUTOPLT IN FMS MODE, IN ORDER NOT TO 'LEAD' THE TURN.

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.