En route emj made incorrect turn toward conflicting traffic.

Attributes
ACN	580076
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	580076
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : became reoriented
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:

We were over vills intersection en route to jfk and we were given direct to jfk. I put in the dto command for direct jfk. The plane started the turn to jfk, and I continued with normal cockpit duties. Passing through a 110 degree heading (approximately 50 degrees away from the direct course to jfk), the first officer said that 'we are still turning.' I took the plane off autoplt and started an immediate turn back towards the north. About that same time, ATC called about our heading. Center gave us a 360 degree heading, and after we were re-established on track, they reclred us to direct jfk. After I arrived at bos, I talked with ATC and there was parallel traffic that we turned towards. They had reviewed the tapes and determined that the criteria for a traffic incursion had not been met, so no further action was going to be taken by them. No foul, no harm, but I did explain what I think happened. On the FMS, the dto jfk was #9. After thinking and talking about what happened, I think I may have hit the #6 dto, which was to a point behind us, and I didn't catch it when I did it. Our side shades were up and the horizon was not clear. The view outside the cockpit was bright and white. I'm not positive about this explanation, but it would explain what happened. If this is what happened, then the mistake was mine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENRTE EMJ MADE INCORRECT TURN TOWARD CONFLICTING TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE OVER VILLS INTXN ENRTE TO JFK AND WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT TO JFK. I PUT IN THE DTO COMMAND FOR DIRECT JFK. THE PLANE STARTED THE TURN TO JFK, AND I CONTINUED WITH NORMAL COCKPIT DUTIES. PASSING THROUGH A 110 DEG HDG (APPROX 50 DEGS AWAY FROM THE DIRECT COURSE TO JFK), THE FO SAID THAT 'WE ARE STILL TURNING.' I TOOK THE PLANE OFF AUTOPLT AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN BACK TOWARDS THE N. ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, ATC CALLED ABOUT OUR HDG. CTR GAVE US A 360 DEG HDG, AND AFTER WE WERE RE-ESTABLISHED ON TRACK, THEY RECLRED US TO DIRECT JFK. AFTER I ARRIVED AT BOS, I TALKED WITH ATC AND THERE WAS PARALLEL TFC THAT WE TURNED TOWARDS. THEY HAD REVIEWED THE TAPES AND DETERMINED THAT THE CRITERIA FOR A TFC INCURSION HAD NOT BEEN MET, SO NO FURTHER ACTION WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN BY THEM. NO FOUL, NO HARM, BUT I DID EXPLAIN WHAT I THINK HAPPENED. ON THE FMS, THE DTO JFK WAS #9. AFTER THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, I THINK I MAY HAVE HIT THE #6 DTO, WHICH WAS TO A POINT BEHIND US, AND I DIDN'T CATCH IT WHEN I DID IT. OUR SIDE SHADES WERE UP AND THE HORIZON WAS NOT CLR. THE VIEW OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT WAS BRIGHT AND WHITE. I'M NOT POSITIVE ABOUT THIS EXPLANATION, BUT IT WOULD EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. IF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, THEN THE MISTAKE WAS MINE.

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.