A C130 crew, en route at FL200, missed a turn point in their flight plan, deviating from cleared rou...

Attributes
ACN	534580
Time
Date	200201
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gbn.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hercules (C-130)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 2550
ASRS Report	534580
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight plan was J104-koffa-J65-blh at FL200. Instructor pilot had charge of radios while copilot flew the aircraft. At cruise, instructor pilot initiated a discussion of the C130 fuel system with the copilot. Copilot became involved in the discussion and missed the turn point at koffa. Neither navigator nor instructor pilot realized the overflt until ZAB called. Instructor pilot made immediate left turn toward blyth (blh) and asked for direct blh, which ZAB granted. Aircraft was 10 DME past koffa when ZAB called and an immediate left turn was initiated. Persons at fault include the navigator, the copilot, and the instructor pilot. Instructor pilot neglected to emphasize 'flying the airplane first' prior to initiating the fuel system discussion. Navigator did not catch the off course incident in time. Instructor pilot also neglected to supervise the copilot closely enough to catch the turn point overflt in time. After landing, instructor pilot conducted a frank and open crew and supervisory debrief of the incident to prevent a recurrence of this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C130 CREW, ENRTE AT FL200, MISSED A TURN POINT IN THEIR FLT PLAN, DEVIATING FROM CLRED RTE.

Narrative: FLT PLAN WAS J104-KOFFA-J65-BLH AT FL200. INSTRUCTOR PLT HAD CHARGE OF RADIOS WHILE COPLT FLEW THE ACFT. AT CRUISE, INSTRUCTOR PLT INITIATED A DISCUSSION OF THE C130 FUEL SYS WITH THE COPLT. COPLT BECAME INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION AND MISSED THE TURN POINT AT KOFFA. NEITHER NAVIGATOR NOR INSTRUCTOR PLT REALIZED THE OVERFLT UNTIL ZAB CALLED. INSTRUCTOR PLT MADE IMMEDIATE L TURN TOWARD BLYTH (BLH) AND ASKED FOR DIRECT BLH, WHICH ZAB GRANTED. ACFT WAS 10 DME PAST KOFFA WHEN ZAB CALLED AND AN IMMEDIATE L TURN WAS INITIATED. PERSONS AT FAULT INCLUDE THE NAVIGATOR, THE COPLT, AND THE INSTRUCTOR PLT. INSTRUCTOR PLT NEGLECTED TO EMPHASIZE 'FLYING THE AIRPLANE FIRST' PRIOR TO INITIATING THE FUEL SYS DISCUSSION. NAVIGATOR DID NOT CATCH THE OFF COURSE INCIDENT IN TIME. INSTRUCTOR PLT ALSO NEGLECTED TO SUPERVISE THE COPLT CLOSELY ENOUGH TO CATCH THE TURN POINT OVERFLT IN TIME. AFTER LNDG, INSTRUCTOR PLT CONDUCTED A FRANK AND OPEN CREW AND SUPERVISORY DEBRIEF OF THE INCIDENT TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS SIT.

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.

A C130 crew, en route at FL200, missed a turn point in their flight plan, deviating from cleared route.