Flight from bda to jfk 20 miles south of course.

Attributes
ACN	129283
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	129283
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from bda to jfk approximately halfway between farga intersection and flymx. The #1 generator bus light came on. All indication of generator operation were normal except no KW's. We were unable to reset this generator to normal operation. Next came the malfunction flags on the captain's RMI and the copilot's CDI. We were unable to transfer both compasses to a good system. Now the ONS warning light started blinking. Checking the ONS malfunction codes indicated lack of heading information and then that it was unreliable. Just prior to flann we tried again to get the #1 generator back on line. This time we were successful. The compass transfer systems now worked properly. We put the system to normal. Shortly the ONS warning light went out. At flann area we advised ATC of our problems. When identified we were told we were 26 mi left of course. However, with the position provided by ATC to update the ONS we were approximately 20 mi left of course. ATC stated that a gross navigational error report was going to be filed. No further difficulties were encountered en route to jfk. The wind during this leg prior to loss of information was out of the west in excess of 125 KTS. We were using ADF navigation from jfk. Also applying a course correction for drift as provided by the ONS before loss of signal. This may have been more than necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT FROM BDA TO JFK 20 MILES SOUTH OF COURSE.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM BDA TO JFK APPROX HALFWAY BETWEEN FARGA INTXN AND FLYMX. THE #1 GENERATOR BUS LIGHT CAME ON. ALL INDICATION OF GENERATOR OPERATION WERE NORMAL EXCEPT NO KW'S. WE WERE UNABLE TO RESET THIS GENERATOR TO NORMAL OPERATION. NEXT CAME THE MALFUNCTION FLAGS ON THE CAPT'S RMI AND THE COPLT'S CDI. WE WERE UNABLE TO TRANSFER BOTH COMPASSES TO A GOOD SYSTEM. NOW THE ONS WARNING LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. CHECKING THE ONS MALFUNCTION CODES INDICATED LACK OF HDG INFO AND THEN THAT IT WAS UNRELIABLE. JUST PRIOR TO FLANN WE TRIED AGAIN TO GET THE #1 GENERATOR BACK ON LINE. THIS TIME WE WERE SUCCESSFUL. THE COMPASS TRANSFER SYSTEMS NOW WORKED PROPERLY. WE PUT THE SYSTEM TO NORMAL. SHORTLY THE ONS WARNING LIGHT WENT OUT. AT FLANN AREA WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR PROBLEMS. WHEN IDENTIFIED WE WERE TOLD WE WERE 26 MI LEFT OF COURSE. HOWEVER, WITH THE POSITION PROVIDED BY ATC TO UPDATE THE ONS WE WERE APPROX 20 MI LEFT OF COURSE. ATC STATED THAT A GROSS NAVIGATIONAL ERROR REPORT WAS GOING TO BE FILED. NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED ENRTE TO JFK. THE WIND DURING THIS LEG PRIOR TO LOSS OF INFO WAS OUT OF THE W IN EXCESS OF 125 KTS. WE WERE USING ADF NAVIGATION FROM JFK. ALSO APPLYING A COURSE CORRECTION FOR DRIFT AS PROVIDED BY THE ONS BEFORE LOSS OF SIGNAL. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN MORE THAN NECESSARY.

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.