Flight cleared direct deviated from course because of misreading navigation instrumentation.

Attributes
ACN	112323
Time
Date	198905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : row
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tracon : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 625
ASRS Report	112323
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	112070
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared direct to row VOR. The copilot, who was flying, turned on the engine sync but got an EFIS switch instead which caused his CRT displays to echo my side. The EFIS transfer switch and sync switch are close together and virtually identical, extremely bad design! I had my VOR tuned to another VOR, while the copilot previously had row on his side. He then began navigating to the VOR that I had selected instead of row since that's what was then presented on his side. The controller finally asked where we were going and we discovered the error. The annunciator light that tells when the EFIS transfer switch has been moved is a steady light that is very dim and easily overlooked, another extremely bad design.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CLEARED DIRECT DEVIATED FROM COURSE BECAUSE OF MISREADING NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTATION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ROW VOR. THE COPLT, WHO WAS FLYING, TURNED ON THE ENGINE SYNC BUT GOT AN EFIS SWITCH INSTEAD WHICH CAUSED HIS CRT DISPLAYS TO ECHO MY SIDE. THE EFIS TRANSFER SWITCH AND SYNC SWITCH ARE CLOSE TOGETHER AND VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL, EXTREMELY BAD DESIGN! I HAD MY VOR TUNED TO ANOTHER VOR, WHILE THE COPLT PREVIOUSLY HAD ROW ON HIS SIDE. HE THEN BEGAN NAVIGATING TO THE VOR THAT I HAD SELECTED INSTEAD OF ROW SINCE THAT'S WHAT WAS THEN PRESENTED ON HIS SIDE. THE CTLR FINALLY ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING AND WE DISCOVERED THE ERROR. THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT THAT TELLS WHEN THE EFIS TRANSFER SWITCH HAS BEEN MOVED IS A STEADY LIGHT THAT IS VERY DIM AND EASILY OVERLOOKED, ANOTHER EXTREMELY BAD DESIGN.

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.