Air carrier large transport track heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	144607
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hlc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv tower : acy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j64
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 : 220 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	144607
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Left cockpit to use lav and obtain cup of coffee. At the time there was a second F/east (new, observation ride) and an F/a in the cockpit. Autoplt was on and engaged to omega. On return to cockpit aircraft was 5-7 mi north of centerline (J64) and continuing. I asked the first officer if we were on a vector as the omega had been deselected. He said no. I asked why we were off course. He had no response. I took over and moved aggressively back on course. No one in cockpit noticed or knew how omega had been deselected. First officer had about 150 hours as copilot. Was extremely cocky and apparently more concerned about his conversation with F/a than monitoring flight progress. ATC made no comments. First officer couldn't understand why NASA report was being files as they (ATC) had not complained. First officer was debriefed as to his lack of professionalism. Also the pilot's union professional standards board was notified, as first officer did not appear to be concerned with his actions (or lack of)!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: LEFT COCKPIT TO USE LAV AND OBTAIN CUP OF COFFEE. AT THE TIME THERE WAS A SECOND F/E (NEW, OBSERVATION RIDE) AND AN F/A IN THE COCKPIT. AUTOPLT WAS ON AND ENGAGED TO OMEGA. ON RETURN TO COCKPIT ACFT WAS 5-7 MI N OF CENTERLINE (J64) AND CONTINUING. I ASKED THE F/O IF WE WERE ON A VECTOR AS THE OMEGA HAD BEEN DESELECTED. HE SAID NO. I ASKED WHY WE WERE OFF COURSE. HE HAD NO RESPONSE. I TOOK OVER AND MOVED AGGRESSIVELY BACK ON COURSE. NO ONE IN COCKPIT NOTICED OR KNEW HOW OMEGA HAD BEEN DESELECTED. F/O HAD ABOUT 150 HRS AS COPLT. WAS EXTREMELY COCKY AND APPARENTLY MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS CONVERSATION WITH F/A THAN MONITORING FLT PROGRESS. ATC MADE NO COMMENTS. F/O COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY NASA RPT WAS BEING FILES AS THEY (ATC) HAD NOT COMPLAINED. F/O WAS DEBRIEFED AS TO HIS LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM. ALSO THE PLT'S UNION PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD WAS NOTIFIED, AS F/O DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONCERNED WITH HIS ACTIONS (OR LACK OF)!

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