Track deviation for air carrier medium large transport east of elp on J2.

Attributes
ACN	148603
Time
Date	199006
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elp
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	148603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	148728
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from phx to hou, first officer flying. At station passage over elp VOR first officer turned to heading 094 degree for outbnd leg of jet route. At this time F/a entered cockpit. He took our orders and then hung around to chat. Our contract had just been ratified and he was curious about the details. A few mins later the center asked us our heading and I realized we had never joined the right out of el paso. I estimated that we had drifted approximately 20 mi north of course due to a strong south wind. The heading we were on was keeping us clear of some significant buildups and I had been busier watching radar than monitoring navigation. Moral to the story. F/as invariably enter cockpit at level off, transition altitude, or course change therefore one must double check everything on their arrival and departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEVIATION FOR ACR MLG EAST OF ELP ON J2.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM PHX TO HOU, F/O FLYING. AT STATION PASSAGE OVER ELP VOR F/O TURNED TO HDG 094 DEG FOR OUTBND LEG OF JET RTE. AT THIS TIME F/A ENTERED COCKPIT. HE TOOK OUR ORDERS AND THEN HUNG AROUND TO CHAT. OUR CONTRACT HAD JUST BEEN RATIFIED AND HE WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DETAILS. A FEW MINS LATER THE CTR ASKED US OUR HDG AND I REALIZED WE HAD NEVER JOINED THE R OUT OF EL PASO. I ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD DRIFTED APPROX 20 MI N OF COURSE DUE TO A STRONG S WIND. THE HDG WE WERE ON WAS KEEPING US CLR OF SOME SIGNIFICANT BUILDUPS AND I HAD BEEN BUSIER WATCHING RADAR THAN MONITORING NAV. MORAL TO THE STORY. F/AS INVARIABLY ENTER COCKPIT AT LEVEL OFF, TRANSITION ALT, OR COURSE CHANGE THEREFORE ONE MUST DOUBLE CHK EVERYTHING ON THEIR ARR AND DEP.

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.