An A320 flight crew experiences a heading track deviation on the bucko STAR west of esl, wv.

Attributes
ACN	538160
Time
Date	200202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : bucko
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 205 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	538150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flying from msp to dca we were cleared direct bucko, bucko 6 arrival. I was making required passenger announcement while the first officer was flying. The first officer announced 'what's wrong here, the aircraft is in a turn.' I checked my navigation display and noticed the aircraft in a slow right turn, about 6 NM south of the arrival. The first officer had made a correction back to the left with the autoplt. This wasn't quick enough for me so I took the aircraft, disconnected the autoplt, and made a manual left turn to get us back on course sooner. At that time ATC told us he showed us drifting south of course. I answered that we were correcting. I then asked for and received direct esl. Because we wanted to correct the error so quickly we did not have time to analyze the FMS and navigation display to find out why it had happened. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the first officer, when adjusting his speed had mistakenly pulled the heading knob instead of the airspeed knob which could have put the aircraft in such a turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLC EXPERIENCES A HDG TRACK DEV ON THE BUCKO STAR W OF ESL, WV.

Narrative: FLYING FROM MSP TO DCA WE WERE CLRED DIRECT BUCKO, BUCKO 6 ARR. I WAS MAKING REQUIRED PAX ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE THE FO WAS FLYING. THE FO ANNOUNCED 'WHAT'S WRONG HERE, THE ACFT IS IN A TURN.' I CHKED MY NAV DISPLAY AND NOTICED THE ACFT IN A SLOW R TURN, ABOUT 6 NM S OF THE ARR. THE FO HAD MADE A CORRECTION BACK TO THE L WITH THE AUTOPLT. THIS WASN'T QUICK ENOUGH FOR ME SO I TOOK THE ACFT, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, AND MADE A MANUAL L TURN TO GET US BACK ON COURSE SOONER. AT THAT TIME ATC TOLD US HE SHOWED US DRIFTING S OF COURSE. I ANSWERED THAT WE WERE CORRECTING. I THEN ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED DIRECT ESL. BECAUSE WE WANTED TO CORRECT THE ERROR SO QUICKLY WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ANALYZE THE FMS AND NAV DISPLAY TO FIND OUT WHY IT HAD HAPPENED. THE ONLY CONCLUSION I CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT THE FO, WHEN ADJUSTING HIS SPD HAD MISTAKENLY PULLED THE HDG KNOB INSTEAD OF THE AIRSPD KNOB WHICH COULD HAVE PUT THE ACFT IN SUCH A 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.