Narrative:

Captain flying aircraft. I advised outbnd heading for our route of flight to be 036 degrees from hpw at between 10-15 mi before hpw. I was subsequently distracted (crew meals brought into flight station). Next noticed captain on same (previous) heading of 060 degrees (inbound on 240 degree right to hpw), but we were now 12 DME past hpw. Reminded captain of 036 degree right and he responded by beginning a left turn. Center then called and said to fly heading 010 degrees to reintercept. Captain continued turn to approximately 340 degrees. On my reminder that 010 degrees was assigned heading, captain stated that he wanted to 'hurry back to the radial' (to paraphrase). Right turn was begun back toward our next fix, pxt, the 041 degree right inbound. Controller called back and asked heading. I responded that we were in a right turn passing 360 degrees. Controller restated our assigned to be 010 degrees. I replied that there had been a 'slight overshoot.' controller said that he had had 20 mi sep with our following traffic, but was now down to 10 mi, and cleared us directly to pxt. On comparing CDI's I found a 4-5 degree difference in the captain's indications and mine (with the aircraft centered on his CDI, mine indicated 4-5 degree left of course). At about 10-12 DME from pxt, center gave us another assigned heading of 010 degrees 'to avoid restr airspace (pxt).' captain complied and no further incidents occurred. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: has been no feedback from ATC or FAA, but reporter did go to chief pilot and was told they had other reports of this type on this captain and the captain was called into the chief pilot's office for counseling. Captain's attitude toward routes very complacent and more or less ignores rest of crew's inputs. Reporter concerned because this air carrier had a previous case of pilot acting this way and turned out pilot was suffering minor stroke.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK DEVIATION FOLLOWED BY FAILURE TO FOLLOW CTLR INSTRUCTION ON HEADING CAUSING LOSS OF DESIRED SEPARATION WITH FOLLOWING TRAFFIC.

Narrative: CAPT FLYING ACFT. I ADVISED OUTBND HDG FOR OUR ROUTE OF FLT TO BE 036 DEGS FROM HPW AT BTWN 10-15 MI BEFORE HPW. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DISTRACTED (CREW MEALS BROUGHT INTO FLT STATION). NEXT NOTICED CAPT ON SAME (PREVIOUS) HDG OF 060 DEGS (INBND ON 240 DEG R TO HPW), BUT WE WERE NOW 12 DME PAST HPW. REMINDED CAPT OF 036 DEG R AND HE RESPONDED BY BEGINNING A LEFT TURN. CENTER THEN CALLED AND SAID TO FLY HDG 010 DEGS TO REINTERCEPT. CAPT CONTINUED TURN TO APPROX 340 DEGS. ON MY REMINDER THAT 010 DEGS WAS ASSIGNED HDG, CAPT STATED THAT HE WANTED TO 'HURRY BACK TO THE RADIAL' (TO PARAPHRASE). RIGHT TURN WAS BEGUN BACK TOWARD OUR NEXT FIX, PXT, THE 041 DEG R INBND. CTLR CALLED BACK AND ASKED HDG. I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE IN A RIGHT TURN PASSING 360 DEGS. CTLR RESTATED OUR ASSIGNED TO BE 010 DEGS. I REPLIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A 'SLIGHT OVERSHOOT.' CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD HAD 20 MI SEP WITH OUR FOLLOWING TFC, BUT WAS NOW DOWN TO 10 MI, AND CLRED US DIRECTLY TO PXT. ON COMPARING CDI'S I FOUND A 4-5 DEG DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPT'S INDICATIONS AND MINE (WITH THE ACFT CENTERED ON HIS CDI, MINE INDICATED 4-5 DEG LEFT OF COURSE). AT ABOUT 10-12 DME FROM PXT, CENTER GAVE US ANOTHER ASSIGNED HDG OF 010 DEGS 'TO AVOID RESTR AIRSPACE (PXT).' CAPT COMPLIED AND NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: HAS BEEN NO FEEDBACK FROM ATC OR FAA, BUT RPTR DID GO TO CHIEF PLT AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD OTHER RPTS OF THIS TYPE ON THIS CAPT AND THE CAPT WAS CALLED INTO THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE FOR COUNSELING. CAPT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD ROUTES VERY COMPLACENT AND MORE OR LESS IGNORES REST OF CREW'S INPUTS. RPTR CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS ACR HAD A PREVIOUS CASE OF PLT ACTING THIS WAY AND TURNED OUT PLT WAS SUFFERING MINOR STROKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.