Heading deviation when a compass warnkng was ignored.

Attributes
ACN	147873
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	147873
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure 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:

While preoccupied with other cockpit duties, we had a heading EFIS comp warning (this is common in flight and is generally momentary). I cancelled warning and went back to watching for traffic. Assigned heading was 340, I noticed we were on a 010 degree heading visually, so I disconnected autoplt and returned to the proper heading by visibility reference. This particular warning lasted about 7 mins before correcting itself. Maybe strong electromagnetic interference north of O'hare. By habit I cancelled what is normally a momentary warning, instead of immediately identifying and correcting the problem. The warning system cries wolf so many times that when a warning that actually needed attention occurred I ignored it. Automation strikes again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING DEVIATION WHEN A COMPASS WARNKNG WAS IGNORED.

Narrative: WHILE PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER COCKPIT DUTIES, WE HAD A HDG EFIS COMP WARNING (THIS IS COMMON IN FLT AND IS GENERALLY MOMENTARY). I CANCELLED WARNING AND WENT BACK TO WATCHING FOR TFC. ASSIGNED HDG WAS 340, I NOTICED WE WERE ON A 010 DEG HDG VISUALLY, SO I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND RETURNED TO THE PROPER HDG BY VIS REFERENCE. THIS PARTICULAR WARNING LASTED ABOUT 7 MINS BEFORE CORRECTING ITSELF. MAYBE STRONG ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE N OF O'HARE. BY HABIT I CANCELLED WHAT IS NORMALLY A MOMENTARY WARNING, INSTEAD OF IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING THE PROB. THE WARNING SYS CRIES WOLF SO MANY TIMES THAT WHEN A WARNING THAT ACTUALLY NEEDED ATTN OCCURRED I IGNORED IT. AUTOMATION STRIKES AGAIN.

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.