Narrative:

Route of flight was bce J60 hec J64 lax. We were given a descent 5 mi east of hec to FL240. (Held high because of x-tfc.) changed center frequency and immediately given, 'cleared for civet profile descent.' I told the copilot (never been to lax before) to put 14000' in the altimeter reminder and he questioned why. I replied, 'because we are on the civet profile and must cross civet between 18 and 14000.' he said, 'but the civet profile doesn't begin until civet.' while explaining this to him hector VOR passage occurred. I looked quickly at my map and mistakenly read J6 for J64 and turned to track 248 degrees instead of 211 degrees off of hector. More conversation about the civet profile and I realized something was wrong. Rechked map, saw error was in turn back to the 211 degree right when center turned us to a heading (180 degrees) to intercept the 25 localizer lax. You just can't do 2 things at the same time, and I guess this (mentally) was complicated by the fact that the last 10 times I came into lax I came over tnp, where you come in 259 degrees and almost immediately intercept 248 degrees lax VOR. So for some reason the turn to 248 degrees seemed ok. Totally my fault--I guess no matter how you try, something always crops up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE. TRACK HEADING DEVIATION. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: ROUTE OF FLT WAS BCE J60 HEC J64 LAX. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT 5 MI E OF HEC TO FL240. (HELD HIGH BECAUSE OF X-TFC.) CHANGED CENTER FREQ AND IMMEDIATELY GIVEN, 'CLRED FOR CIVET PROFILE DSCNT.' I TOLD THE COPLT (NEVER BEEN TO LAX BEFORE) TO PUT 14000' IN THE ALTIMETER REMINDER AND HE QUESTIONED WHY. I REPLIED, 'BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE CIVET PROFILE AND MUST CROSS CIVET BTWN 18 AND 14000.' HE SAID, 'BUT THE CIVET PROFILE DOESN'T BEGIN UNTIL CIVET.' WHILE EXPLAINING THIS TO HIM HECTOR VOR PASSAGE OCCURRED. I LOOKED QUICKLY AT MY MAP AND MISTAKENLY READ J6 FOR J64 AND TURNED TO TRACK 248 DEGS INSTEAD OF 211 DEGS OFF OF HECTOR. MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CIVET PROFILE AND I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. RECHKED MAP, SAW ERROR WAS IN TURN BACK TO THE 211 DEG R WHEN CENTER TURNED US TO A HDG (180 DEGS) TO INTERCEPT THE 25 LOC LAX. YOU JUST CAN'T DO 2 THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, AND I GUESS THIS (MENTALLY) WAS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT THE LAST 10 TIMES I CAME INTO LAX I CAME OVER TNP, WHERE YOU COME IN 259 DEGS AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY INTERCEPT 248 DEGS LAX VOR. SO FOR SOME REASON THE TURN TO 248 DEGS SEEMED OK. TOTALLY MY FAULT--I GUESS NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY, SOMETHING ALWAYS CROPS UP.

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.