Narrative:

Descending through FL300 to FL390, cleared to phx via the arlin 8 STAR. We had programmed the arlin 8 STAR into the flight management system and were flying with the autoplt coupled to the RNAV system. Copilot's side VOR was tuned to blh VOR with 089 degree right set on the CDI. At about the same time I noticed we were north of course, ZLA called and said he showed us north of course and told us to turn to heading 120 degrees to intercept the STAR radial of blh VOR (089 degree). We intercepted the radial and proceeded to phx with no further problems. Upon interrogation of the flight management system data base, we discovered the problem. The first intersection on the STAR after blh VOR had been defined with the wrong north latitude, and therefore the RNAV put it north of its actual position. I feel this problem points out very definitely that air crews using modern flight management systems and RNAV systems must be very aware of the following: 1) always check waypoints used from the data base, especially pilot defined waypoints. 2) when flying using RNAV as source always back it up with copilot's side navigation radio set up for the arwy being flown.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR ADVTECH MLG FLT CREW EXPERIENCES TRACK DEVIATION ON ARLIN 8 STAR TO PHX DUE MISPROGRAMMED WAYPOINT.

Narrative: DSNDING THROUGH FL300 TO FL390, CLRED TO PHX VIA THE ARLIN 8 STAR. WE HAD PROGRAMMED THE ARLIN 8 STAR INTO THE FLT MGMNT SYS AND WERE FLYING WITH THE AUTOPLT COUPLED TO THE RNAV SYS. COPLT'S SIDE VOR WAS TUNED TO BLH VOR WITH 089 DEG R SET ON THE CDI. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I NOTICED WE WERE N OF COURSE, ZLA CALLED AND SAID HE SHOWED US N OF COURSE AND TOLD US TO TURN TO HDG 120 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE STAR RADIAL OF BLH VOR (089 DEG). WE INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL AND PROCEEDED TO PHX WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. UPON INTERROGATION OF THE FLT MGMNT SYS DATA BASE, WE DISCOVERED THE PROB. THE FIRST INTXN ON THE STAR AFTER BLH VOR HAD BEEN DEFINED WITH THE WRONG N LAT, AND THEREFORE THE RNAV PUT IT N OF ITS ACTUAL POS. I FEEL THIS PROB POINTS OUT VERY DEFINITELY THAT AIR CREWS USING MODERN FLT MGMNT SYSTEMS AND RNAV SYSTEMS MUST BE VERY AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) ALWAYS CHK WAYPOINTS USED FROM THE DATA BASE, ESPECIALLY PLT DEFINED WAYPOINTS. 2) WHEN FLYING USING RNAV AS SOURCE ALWAYS BACK IT UP WITH COPLT'S SIDE NAV RADIO SET UP FOR THE ARWY BEING FLOWN.

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.