Narrative:

While en route from anc to lax I had coupled the autoplt to the omega. After a while it started to wander back and forth, sometimes by as much as 10 degrees. To keep the aircraft steady, I put the autoplt on heading. Up to this time we had been on course. I had made a position report passing kurtt intersection and it was here I decided to take the autoplt off auxiliary navigation and go the heading. The wind was about 270/80. We then started to have communication problems and both the first officer and myself got engrossed in restoring radio contact. I should have been suspicious when we received a SELCAL and they asked us to reconfirm our route for ATC. When we checked in with sea ARTCC, the first thing he asked me was that if I knew I was 35 east of course and had gone through an active MOA. I knew at once that I had forgotten that I had run the autoplt on heading. We were then cleared direct to fot VOR and on course. I hate to admit it, but this was a case of pilot error, plain and simple. No other crew members were at fault. I failed to use a few basic procedures and ended up off course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVT ACR FRT ACFT TRACK HDG DEV ENRTE ANC TO LAX.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ANC TO LAX I HAD COUPLED THE AUTOPLT TO THE OMEGA. AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED TO WANDER BACK AND FORTH, SOMETIMES BY AS MUCH AS 10 DEGS. TO KEEP THE ACFT STEADY, I PUT THE AUTOPLT ON HDG. UP TO THIS TIME WE HAD BEEN ON COURSE. I HAD MADE A POS RPT PASSING KURTT INTXN AND IT WAS HERE I DECIDED TO TAKE THE AUTOPLT OFF AUX NAV AND GO THE HDG. THE WIND WAS ABOUT 270/80. WE THEN STARTED TO HAVE COM PROBLEMS AND BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF GOT ENGROSSED IN RESTORING RADIO CONTACT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPICIOUS WHEN WE RECEIVED A SELCAL AND THEY ASKED US TO RECONFIRM OUR RTE FOR ATC. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH SEA ARTCC, THE FIRST THING HE ASKED ME WAS THAT IF I KNEW I WAS 35 E OF COURSE AND HAD GONE THROUGH AN ACTIVE MOA. I KNEW AT ONCE THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I HAD RUN THE AUTOPLT ON HDG. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO FOT VOR AND ON COURSE. I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT THIS WAS A CASE OF PLT ERROR, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. NO OTHER CREW MEMBERS WERE AT FAULT. I FAILED TO USE A FEW BASIC PROCS AND ENDED UP OFF COURSE.

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.