Gross navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	280326
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mth
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	280326
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	280157
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Course deviation due to degraded navigation and heading system. On a northbound course from panama to miami, we deviated left of course for WX from havana center over cuba between uvr (varder) and tadpo. Kingston center/havana and miami ARTCC were advised of our navigation and heading problems. Approximately 100 mi north of tadpo, miami ARTCC called and advised 'you are entering a warning area. Squawk 7700, and turn right.' I advised miami again that our navigation (omega) systems were inaccurate and a heading system also. Miami initiated no-gyro vectors back towards miami. After a controller frequency switch, it was established that we still had heading and at least 1 VOR capability. The #1 VOR was approximately 180 degrees in error passing over grand cayman. The #2 VOR needle appeared normal. We also had the magnetic compass. After establishing we had heading reference again, changed squawk back to wxyz and gave vectors to miami without further incident. (Note: forward lavatory floor was flooded in panama requiring maintenance. Flooding from either the forward lavatory or the forward galley caused water to run from the bottom of the aircraft.) we could have communicated our heading system malfunction better to miami so they knew we still had heading reference for vectors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GROSS NAV ERROR.

Narrative: COURSE DEV DUE TO DEGRADED NAV AND HDG SYS. ON A NBOUND COURSE FROM PANAMA TO MIAMI, WE DEVIATED L OF COURSE FOR WX FROM HAVANA CTR OVER CUBA BTWN UVR (VARDER) AND TADPO. KINGSTON CTR/HAVANA AND MIAMI ARTCC WERE ADVISED OF OUR NAV AND HDG PROBS. APPROX 100 MI N OF TADPO, MIAMI ARTCC CALLED AND ADVISED 'YOU ARE ENTERING A WARNING AREA. SQUAWK 7700, AND TURN R.' I ADVISED MIAMI AGAIN THAT OUR NAV (OMEGA) SYSTEMS WERE INACCURATE AND A HDG SYS ALSO. MIAMI INITIATED NO-GYRO VECTORS BACK TOWARDS MIAMI. AFTER A CTLR FREQ SWITCH, IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT WE STILL HAD HDG AND AT LEAST 1 VOR CAPABILITY. THE #1 VOR WAS APPROX 180 DEGS IN ERROR PASSING OVER GRAND CAYMAN. THE #2 VOR NEEDLE APPEARED NORMAL. WE ALSO HAD THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. AFTER ESTABLISHING WE HAD HDG REF AGAIN, CHANGED SQUAWK BACK TO WXYZ AND GAVE VECTORS TO MIAMI WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. (NOTE: FORWARD LAVATORY FLOOR WAS FLOODED IN PANAMA REQUIRING MAINT. FLOODING FROM EITHER THE FORWARD LAVATORY OR THE FORWARD GALLEY CAUSED WATER TO RUN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ACFT.) WE COULD HAVE COMMUNICATED OUR HDG SYS MALFUNCTION BETTER TO MIAMI SO THEY KNEW WE STILL HAD HDG REF FOR VECTORS.

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.