Narrative:

We were level at cruise altitude. First officer was flying. Center cleared us direct to balance VOR then on course. After joining V-44 we requested direct acy VOR. The controller asked us to make request on next sector then switched us over. We checked in with the new controller and made our request for direct acy VOR. After a few mins the controller approved our request. Several mins later the controller switched us back to our previous controller. He informed us that he had shown us 8 mi south of V-44 and had to expedite an aircraft descent. I replied that we showed ourselves on the airway and now were north of the airway due to our being cleared direct acy VOR. We showed ourselves near the price intersection. I am not sure if there was an actual conflict or if the expeditious descent of the other aircraft was sufficient. I fly this departure route over 10 times a month and have done this route for over 3 yrs. Our equipment showed us on course. We did note, however, a passenger get off the aircraft at the destination with a very large 'boom box' radio player. I do not know if that was the problem or not but I am making it my personal policy that all radio equipment will be turned off, or put in cargo pit. The VOR equipment in our aircraft is also somewhat subject to interference due to our propellers. It is not uncommon to see the vors 'scallop' or wander 10-20 degrees on a weak station and on some strong stations. This is accepted as normal by maintenance. I also noted that our aircraft had been washed prior to our flight including the nose gear compartment where the avionics access door is located. Again, I am not saying these were the causes, but I do not believe that there was pilot error and we checked our equipment upon landing and found no problems. I also do not know why either controller did not say anything if they showed us that far off course until after the conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT FLC ACCUSED OF BEING 8 MI S OF COURSE.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT CRUISE ALT. FO WAS FLYING. CTR CLRED US DIRECT TO BAL VOR THEN ON COURSE. AFTER JOINING V-44 WE REQUESTED DIRECT ACY VOR. THE CTLR ASKED US TO MAKE REQUEST ON NEXT SECTOR THEN SWITCHED US OVER. WE CHKED IN WITH THE NEW CTLR AND MADE OUR REQUEST FOR DIRECT ACY VOR. AFTER A FEW MINS THE CTLR APPROVED OUR REQUEST. SEVERAL MINS LATER THE CTLR SWITCHED US BACK TO OUR PREVIOUS CTLR. HE INFORMED US THAT HE HAD SHOWN US 8 MI S OF V-44 AND HAD TO EXPEDITE AN ACFT DSCNT. I REPLIED THAT WE SHOWED OURSELVES ON THE AIRWAY AND NOW WERE N OF THE AIRWAY DUE TO OUR BEING CLRED DIRECT ACY VOR. WE SHOWED OURSELVES NEAR THE PRICE INTXN. I AM NOT SURE IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL CONFLICT OR IF THE EXPEDITIOUS DSCNT OF THE OTHER ACFT WAS SUFFICIENT. I FLY THIS DEP RTE OVER 10 TIMES A MONTH AND HAVE DONE THIS RTE FOR OVER 3 YRS. OUR EQUIP SHOWED US ON COURSE. WE DID NOTE, HOWEVER, A PAX GET OFF THE ACFT AT THE DEST WITH A VERY LARGE 'BOOM BOX' RADIO PLAYER. I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT WAS THE PROB OR NOT BUT I AM MAKING IT MY PERSONAL POLICY THAT ALL RADIO EQUIP WILL BE TURNED OFF, OR PUT IN CARGO PIT. THE VOR EQUIP IN OUR ACFT IS ALSO SOMEWHAT SUBJECT TO INTERFERENCE DUE TO OUR PROPS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE THE VORS 'SCALLOP' OR WANDER 10-20 DEGS ON A WEAK STATION AND ON SOME STRONG STATIONS. THIS IS ACCEPTED AS NORMAL BY MAINT. I ALSO NOTED THAT OUR ACFT HAD BEEN WASHED PRIOR TO OUR FLT INCLUDING THE NOSE GEAR COMPARTMENT WHERE THE AVIONICS ACCESS DOOR IS LOCATED. AGAIN, I AM NOT SAYING THESE WERE THE CAUSES, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS PLT ERROR AND WE CHKED OUR EQUIP UPON LNDG AND FOUND NO PROBS. I ALSO DO NOT KNOW WHY EITHER CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING IF THEY SHOWED US THAT FAR OFF COURSE UNTIL AFTER THE CONFLICT.

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.