Narrative:

The first flight of the day, we proceeded to perform all the tests and adjustments in accordance with the flight plan that was delivered to us. Inserting on the GPS the takeoff on runway 34L with the 'salt lake eight departure,' I told my first officer to ask for 'salt lake clearance' for our clearance (15 mins before scheduled time). Afterwards, we received a clearance to MMMX via fairfield six departure, hanksville, transition, climb and maintain 10000 ft. We started to reinsert the departure and the runway on the GPS, assuming the runway would be the runway 16R, instead of the runway 34L. In that instant, the dispatch was delivered to me, the flight attendant was giving me the passenger count, the mechanic was asking me if he could disconnect the external power. Therefore, I committed the mistake of not double-checking the data inserted in the GPS, trusting that my first officer had already done it. Afterwards, the authority/authorized of start and pushback was obtained. Ramp control cleared us to taxi. After making contact with ground control, we were authority/authorized to runway 16L. During the taxiing, I requested my first officer to reprogram the GPS with the new runway assignment (runway 16L) and the taxi checklist. I was carefully watching the txwys to avoid any mistake (once again, my error was to trust my first officer and his actions with the GPS). After the takeoff (which was executed by my first officer), departure control which gave us radar contact and a higher altitude. Just passing the 'fairfield VOR,' we turned left and the first officer had already changed from mode 'rose' to mode 'map,' pushing up the navigation button (to let the autoplt fly the depicted track) and I proceeded to adjust my VOR to the outbound course and the same outbound course on the first officer's VOR. Afterwards, I noticed that the needle on my CDI was not centered. I proceeded to verify what was happening and I discovered that the GPS was incorrectly programmed. I ordered the first officer to turn immediately to the right side, to correct our track and I reprogrammed the GPS correctly. At that time, the departure controller asked us: 'what's your heading?' I answered, 'turning to intercept.' he answered, 'the clearance was fairfield six departure, hanksville transition.' I answered, 'we are proceeding to hanksville transition.' I think that the deviation was not more than 15 degree radial and as much as 7-8 mi. The WX was completely clear with an unlimited visibility, but I think that my main mistake was to trust too much in my first officer, as well as letting the people from operations, the flight attendant and the mechanic, to distract me while I was supposed to do a final check on the cockpit. At the same time, I was trying to comply with the schedule.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DEP FROM SLC FAILS TO ENTER CORRECT INFO INTO FMS AND GPS AND VARIES FROM ASSIGNED RTE.

Narrative: THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, WE PROCEEDED TO PERFORM ALL THE TESTS AND ADJUSTMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT PLAN THAT WAS DELIVERED TO US. INSERTING ON THE GPS THE TKOF ON RWY 34L WITH THE 'SALT LAKE EIGHT DEP,' I TOLD MY FO TO ASK FOR 'SALT LAKE CLRNC' FOR OUR CLRNC (15 MINS BEFORE SCHEDULED TIME). AFTERWARDS, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO MMMX VIA FAIRFIELD SIX DEP, HANKSVILLE, TRANSITION, CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT. WE STARTED TO REINSERT THE DEP AND THE RWY ON THE GPS, ASSUMING THE RWY WOULD BE THE RWY 16R, INSTEAD OF THE RWY 34L. IN THAT INSTANT, THE DISPATCH WAS DELIVERED TO ME, THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS GIVING ME THE PAX COUNT, THE MECH WAS ASKING ME IF HE COULD DISCONNECT THE EXTERNAL PWR. THEREFORE, I COMMITTED THE MISTAKE OF NOT DOUBLE-CHKING THE DATA INSERTED IN THE GPS, TRUSTING THAT MY FO HAD ALREADY DONE IT. AFTERWARDS, THE AUTH OF START AND PUSHBACK WAS OBTAINED. RAMP CTL CLRED US TO TAXI. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH GND CTL, WE WERE AUTH TO RWY 16L. DURING THE TAXIING, I REQUESTED MY FO TO REPROGRAM THE GPS WITH THE NEW RWY ASSIGNMENT (RWY 16L) AND THE TAXI CHKLIST. I WAS CAREFULLY WATCHING THE TXWYS TO AVOID ANY MISTAKE (ONCE AGAIN, MY ERROR WAS TO TRUST MY FO AND HIS ACTIONS WITH THE GPS). AFTER THE TKOF (WHICH WAS EXECUTED BY MY FO), DEP CTL WHICH GAVE US RADAR CONTACT AND A HIGHER ALT. JUST PASSING THE 'FAIRFIELD VOR,' WE TURNED L AND THE FO HAD ALREADY CHANGED FROM MODE 'ROSE' TO MODE 'MAP,' PUSHING UP THE NAV BUTTON (TO LET THE AUTOPLT FLY THE DEPICTED TRACK) AND I PROCEEDED TO ADJUST MY VOR TO THE OUTBOUND COURSE AND THE SAME OUTBOUND COURSE ON THE FO'S VOR. AFTERWARDS, I NOTICED THAT THE NEEDLE ON MY CDI WAS NOT CTRED. I PROCEEDED TO VERIFY WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND I DISCOVERED THAT THE GPS WAS INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. I ORDERED THE FO TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE R SIDE, TO CORRECT OUR TRACK AND I REPROGRAMMED THE GPS CORRECTLY. AT THAT TIME, THE DEP CTLR ASKED US: 'WHAT'S YOUR HDG?' I ANSWERED, 'TURNING TO INTERCEPT.' HE ANSWERED, 'THE CLRNC WAS FAIRFIELD SIX DEP, HANKSVILLE TRANSITION.' I ANSWERED, 'WE ARE PROCEEDING TO HANKSVILLE TRANSITION.' I THINK THAT THE DEV WAS NOT MORE THAN 15 DEG RADIAL AND AS MUCH AS 7-8 MI. THE WX WAS COMPLETELY CLR WITH AN UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, BUT I THINK THAT MY MAIN MISTAKE WAS TO TRUST TOO MUCH IN MY FO, AS WELL AS LETTING THE PEOPLE FROM OPS, THE FLT ATTENDANT AND THE MECH, TO DISTRACT ME WHILE I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO A FINAL CHK ON THE COCKPIT. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THE SCHEDULE.

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.