Air carrier widebody transport deviation from clearance route.

Attributes
ACN	96948
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pbl
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czul
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	96948
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While I was programming the CDU (computer) for our route of flight, the captain was programming an altitude change. He executed the change so that when I finished the remainder of the route, there was no execute light displayed. We got busy copying the oceanic clearance and passed pbl. The computer should have generated a 'no active route' CDU/ircas message but none was indicated. As a result, we proceeded approximately 20-30 north of course before canadian radar notified us of the discrepancy. We rechked the route. It indicated the appropriate position but was not traveling towards an active waypoint. Even though no execute light was indicated, we pressed the execute button and the airplane proceeded back on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB DEVIATION FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS PROGRAMMING THE CDU (COMPUTER) FOR OUR RTE OF FLT, THE CAPT WAS PROGRAMMING AN ALT CHANGE. HE EXECUTED THE CHANGE SO THAT WHEN I FINISHED THE REMAINDER OF THE ROUTE, THERE WAS NO EXECUTE LIGHT DISPLAYED. WE GOT BUSY COPYING THE OCEANIC CLRNC AND PASSED PBL. THE COMPUTER SHOULD HAVE GENERATED A 'NO ACTIVE ROUTE' CDU/IRCAS MESSAGE BUT NONE WAS INDICATED. AS A RESULT, WE PROCEEDED APPROX 20-30 NORTH OF COURSE BEFORE CANADIAN RADAR NOTIFIED US OF THE DISCREPANCY. WE RECHKED THE ROUTE. IT INDICATED THE APPROPRIATE POS BUT WAS NOT TRAVELING TOWARDS AN ACTIVE WAYPOINT. EVEN THOUGH NO EXECUTE LIGHT WAS INDICATED, WE PRESSED THE EXECUTE BUTTON AND THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED BACK ON COURSE.

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.