Air carrier on oceanic flight fails to check in with center.

Attributes
ACN	223990
Time
Date	199210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lppc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : lppc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	223990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I came up to cockpit after my rest break after waiting 15 mins for a vacant lavatory. During the 15 mins, I 'poked my head' into the cockpit since we were approaching the coast. When I got in the seat, I asked if we were in 'radar' and got a blank look from the first officer. He then called lisbon on 128.9. We had been in their airspace for some time. Lisbon asked 'where have you been?' and changed us to the next frequency. They also asked 'where have we been?' a look around the cockpit revealed that the fuel xfeed had not been closed approaching land, the ADI's had not been returned to magnetic and the fuel was 2200 pounds out of balance. What do I attribute this to? Automated cockpit complacency and the possible expectation that during my 'head pokes' I was in command.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON OCEANIC FLT FAILS TO CHK IN WITH CTR.

Narrative: I CAME UP TO COCKPIT AFTER MY REST BREAK AFTER WAITING 15 MINS FOR A VACANT LAVATORY. DURING THE 15 MINS, I 'POKED MY HEAD' INTO THE COCKPIT SINCE WE WERE APCHING THE COAST. WHEN I GOT IN THE SEAT, I ASKED IF WE WERE IN 'RADAR' AND GOT A BLANK LOOK FROM THE FO. HE THEN CALLED LISBON ON 128.9. WE HAD BEEN IN THEIR AIRSPACE FOR SOME TIME. LISBON ASKED 'WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?' AND CHANGED US TO THE NEXT FREQ. THEY ALSO ASKED 'WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?' A LOOK AROUND THE COCKPIT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL XFEED HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED APCHING LAND, THE ADI'S HAD NOT BEEN RETURNED TO MAGNETIC AND THE FUEL WAS 2200 POUNDS OUT OF BAL. WHAT DO I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO? AUTOMATED COCKPIT COMPLACENCY AND THE POSSIBLE EXPECTATION THAT DURING MY 'HEAD POKES' I WAS IN COMMAND.

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.