Narrative:

Approaching dietz intersection on the cqy arrival, we started to receive ACARS msgs regarding low level turbulence and LLWS in the dfw area. We had received a similar message a few mins before and were concerned that the reason for the new message was that the situation had gotten worse or that there were possibly some PIREPS with more accurate information. The first officer was the PF and he started to read the message as it printed out and we overshot dietz and failed to make the required turn. We discovered our error approximately 2-3 DME past dietz and immediately started a turn to get back on course. Approach called just after we had started our turn and we advised them that we were correcting. They then gave us vectors to get back on course and the normal vectors for the approach. This was a non FMS equipped plane, which is becoming a rarity. Although no traffic conflicts occurred and we caught the error quickly, the importance of 1 pilot devoting all of his attention to flying is paramount in the terminal area. Perhaps there is also a way to preclude dispatch from sending, or resending, messages when a flight is within a specified time before landing. If a forecast or SIGMET changes and the situation is deteriorating, or if a PIREP has airport or runway specific information, that's information that should be sent at any point in the flight. But a re-issuance of a SIGMET, or gate change information, or other non critical messages, are potential distractions we don't need.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEV ON THE CQY STAR WHILE AN MD80 FLC READ THE LATEST ACARS LOW LEVEL TURB RPT FOR DFW, TX.

Narrative: APCHING DIETZ INTXN ON THE CQY ARR, WE STARTED TO RECEIVE ACARS MSGS REGARDING LOW LEVEL TURB AND LLWS IN THE DFW AREA. WE HAD RECEIVED A SIMILAR MESSAGE A FEW MINS BEFORE AND WERE CONCERNED THAT THE REASON FOR THE NEW MESSAGE WAS THAT THE SIT HAD GOTTEN WORSE OR THAT THERE WERE POSSIBLY SOME PIREPS WITH MORE ACCURATE INFO. THE FO WAS THE PF AND HE STARTED TO READ THE MESSAGE AS IT PRINTED OUT AND WE OVERSHOT DIETZ AND FAILED TO MAKE THE REQUIRED TURN. WE DISCOVERED OUR ERROR APPROX 2-3 DME PAST DIETZ AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED A TURN TO GET BACK ON COURSE. APCH CALLED JUST AFTER WE HAD STARTED OUR TURN AND WE ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE CORRECTING. THEY THEN GAVE US VECTORS TO GET BACK ON COURSE AND THE NORMAL VECTORS FOR THE APCH. THIS WAS A NON FMS EQUIPPED PLANE, WHICH IS BECOMING A RARITY. ALTHOUGH NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED AND WE CAUGHT THE ERROR QUICKLY, THE IMPORTANCE OF 1 PLT DEVOTING ALL OF HIS ATTN TO FLYING IS PARAMOUNT IN THE TERMINAL AREA. PERHAPS THERE IS ALSO A WAY TO PRECLUDE DISPATCH FROM SENDING, OR RESENDING, MESSAGES WHEN A FLT IS WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME BEFORE LNDG. IF A FORECAST OR SIGMET CHANGES AND THE SIT IS DETERIORATING, OR IF A PIREP HAS ARPT OR RWY SPECIFIC INFO, THAT'S INFO THAT SHOULD BE SENT AT ANY POINT IN THE FLT. BUT A RE-ISSUANCE OF A SIGMET, OR GATE CHANGE INFO, OR OTHER NON CRITICAL MESSAGES, ARE POTENTIAL DISTRACTIONS WE DON'T NEED.

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.