Narrative:

Departing las on 'idale RNAV 1 departure,' after 'lodzy,' ATC controller cleared us direct to idale intersection. At idale intersection, the aircraft started a sharp right turn. The next 2 fixes had dropped out of the FMC computer (shead and bikkr) and the aircraft was proceeding to oal. We were asked by las departure what heading we were turning to over idale. The controller said that recently a lot of airplanes were turning too far right at idale. He said to turn to a heading of 250 degrees, which we did, and proceeded with the flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that his company operates the same type aircraft with different navigation equipment configns. During the departure stated in this acn, the aircraft was equipped with a single FMC and no CRT navigation display. The FMC is located on the captain's side of the console and the PNF (first officer) had limited visual access to the equipment. When departure control issued a clearance to 'go direct' and the command was input, the PNF did not observe the next 2 fixes drop out of the system due to the location of the FMC. Upon reaching the 'direct to fix' the aircraft turned the wrong direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC DEPARTING ON THE IDALE RNAV 1 DEP HAS 2 RNAV FIXES DROP OUT OF THE SYS CAUSING THE ACFT TO TURN IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING LAS ON 'IDALE RNAV 1 DEP,' AFTER 'LODZY,' ATC CTLR CLRED US DIRECT TO IDALE INTXN. AT IDALE INTXN, THE ACFT STARTED A SHARP R TURN. THE NEXT 2 FIXES HAD DROPPED OUT OF THE FMC COMPUTER (SHEAD AND BIKKR) AND THE ACFT WAS PROCEEDING TO OAL. WE WERE ASKED BY LAS DEP WHAT HDG WE WERE TURNING TO OVER IDALE. THE CTLR SAID THAT RECENTLY A LOT OF AIRPLANES WERE TURNING TOO FAR R AT IDALE. HE SAID TO TURN TO A HDG OF 250 DEGS, WHICH WE DID, AND PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HIS COMPANY OPERATES THE SAME TYPE ACFT WITH DIFFERENT NAV EQUIP CONFIGNS. DURING THE DEP STATED IN THIS ACN, THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SINGLE FMC AND NO CRT NAV DISPLAY. THE FMC IS LOCATED ON THE CAPT'S SIDE OF THE CONSOLE AND THE PNF (FO) HAD LIMITED VISUAL ACCESS TO THE EQUIP. WHEN DEP CTL ISSUED A CLRNC TO 'GO DIRECT' AND THE COMMAND WAS INPUT, THE PNF DID NOT OBSERVE THE NEXT 2 FIXES DROP OUT OF THE SYS DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FMC. UPON REACHING THE 'DIRECT TO FIX' THE ACFT TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION.

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.