Air carrier unable to program clearance into computer. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	156603
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fak
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	156603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We accepted a direct clearance to flat rock, then as filed. This clearance was not possible to adhere to although accepted by the crew. The computer navigation could not resolve the navigation solution and the aircraft was 28 mi off course before the error was discovered. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that incident was so long ago that he just doesn't really remember. Knows crew tried to stuff routing into computer, but it didn't work. ATC was trying to eliminate a dog leg in the routing and it was not acceptable to next sector controller. No conflict occurred. Crew questioned if there would be any paperwork and controller responded negative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR UNABLE TO PROGRAM CLRNC INTO COMPUTER. HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE ACCEPTED A DIRECT CLRNC TO FLAT ROCK, THEN AS FILED. THIS CLRNC WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ADHERE TO ALTHOUGH ACCEPTED BY THE CREW. THE COMPUTER NAV COULD NOT RESOLVE THE NAV SOLUTION AND THE ACFT WAS 28 MI OFF COURSE BEFORE THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT INCIDENT WAS SO LONG AGO THAT HE JUST DOESN'T REALLY REMEMBER. KNOWS CREW TRIED TO STUFF RTING INTO COMPUTER, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. ATC WAS TRYING TO ELIMINATE A DOG LEG IN THE RTING AND IT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO NEXT SECTOR CTLR. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. CREW QUESTIONED IF THERE WOULD BE ANY PAPERWORK AND CTLR RESPONDED NEGATIVE.

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.