Narrative:

As a F/east I have not been trained in the use of omega systems. My knowledge is limited to only what I have learned on my own by observation and reading the aircraft manual. But this is basically what happened. After passage of R25 (ca) we experienced a dual omega failure. The #2 omega appeared to be the more reliable. The autoplt was linked to #2 omega and it later was found to also be giving bad course information. We tuned in an am radio station and used bearings from it. We also used WX radar for radar mapping of the islands. Then hnl approach was contacted on VHF for radar identify. When radar contact was finally made, they were extremely hard to understand. But we thought we understood the controller to say that we were 80 mi right of course and cleared for the maggi 2 arrival. We were later informed by management that the aircraft used on the flight that day had previously taken a lightning strike and that after investigation of the aircraft navigational wiring and relays that 'it was a wonder that the omegas worked at all.' but the systems did preflight normally and even flew 75 percent of the flight normally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT LOST BOTH OMEGA SYSTEM ENROUTE TO HNL..ON RADAR CONTACT WITH HNL ACFT WAS DETECTED 80 NM OFF TRACK.

Narrative: AS A F/E I HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED IN THE USE OF OMEGA SYSTEMS. MY KNOWLEDGE IS LIMITED TO ONLY WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ON MY OWN BY OBSERVATION AND READING THE ACFT MANUAL. BUT THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER PASSAGE OF R25 (CA) WE EXPERIENCED A DUAL OMEGA FAILURE. THE #2 OMEGA APPEARED TO BE THE MORE RELIABLE. THE AUTOPLT WAS LINKED TO #2 OMEGA AND IT LATER WAS FOUND TO ALSO BE GIVING BAD COURSE INFORMATION. WE TUNED IN AN AM RADIO STATION AND USED BEARINGS FROM IT. WE ALSO USED WX RADAR FOR RADAR MAPPING OF THE ISLANDS. THEN HNL APCH WAS CONTACTED ON VHF FOR RADAR IDENT. WHEN RADAR CONTACT WAS FINALLY MADE, THEY WERE EXTREMELY HARD TO UNDERSTAND. BUT WE THOUGHT WE UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO SAY THAT WE WERE 80 MI R OF COURSE AND CLRED FOR THE MAGGI 2 ARR. WE WERE LATER INFORMED BY MGMNT THAT THE ACFT USED ON THE FLT THAT DAY HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN A LIGHTNING STRIKE AND THAT AFTER INVESTIGATION OF THE ACFT NAVIGATIONAL WIRING AND RELAYS THAT 'IT WAS A WONDER THAT THE OMEGAS WORKED AT ALL.' BUT THE SYSTEMS DID PREFLT NORMALLY AND EVEN FLEW 75 PERCENT OF THE FLT NORMALLY.

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.