An air carrier widebody transport freighter had a gross navigation error in foreign airspace.

Attributes
ACN	274359
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sde
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	274359
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	273684
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Position report was made to tokyo using VHF at fix nopan. First officer confirmed aircraft tracking next course and then left cockpit for physiological reasons. Next report was to be made 170 east of sendai NDB. Approximately 180 due from sde and approximately 15 mins from last position report to tokyo, the first officer noticed we were 44.5 mi left of course. Tokyo was notified immediately. This is also where radar contact is usually obtained. Tokyo said 'no problem' 'radar contact' direct sde. Mode select panel on PF's side showed erroneous information when compared to ehsi on PF's side. As humans, we tend to rely on computers to perform their functions but, in this case, there was 15 mins where a malfunction had occurred. Continuous surveillance of instruments should be maintained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB FREIGHTER HAD A GROSS NAV ERROR IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: POS RPT WAS MADE TO TOKYO USING VHF AT FIX NOPAN. FO CONFIRMED ACFT TRACKING NEXT COURSE AND THEN LEFT COCKPIT FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL REASONS. NEXT RPT WAS TO BE MADE 170 E OF SENDAI NDB. APPROX 180 DUE FROM SDE AND APPROX 15 MINS FROM LAST POS RPT TO TOKYO, THE FO NOTICED WE WERE 44.5 MI L OF COURSE. TOKYO WAS NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS ALSO WHERE RADAR CONTACT IS USUALLY OBTAINED. TOKYO SAID 'NO PROB' 'RADAR CONTACT' DIRECT SDE. MODE SELECT PANEL ON PF'S SIDE SHOWED ERRONEOUS INFO WHEN COMPARED TO EHSI ON PF'S SIDE. AS HUMANS, WE TEND TO RELY ON COMPUTERS TO PERFORM THEIR FUNCTIONS BUT, IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS 15 MINS WHERE A MALFUNCTION HAD OCCURRED. CONTINUOUS SURVEILLANCE OF INSTS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.

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.