Track deviation. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	298868
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cyn
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	298868
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the PNF from phl-bdl. Our clearance was to intercept the coyle 274 degree radial and then intercept J225 to jfk. The captain intercepted the coyle 274 degree radial but did not notice when we were on J225 and did not intercept it. ATC gave us a heading to reintercept with maximum deviation off course of about 10 mi. No traffic conflict was noticed either visually or on TCASII. Contributing to this incident was the fact that this was our first leg flying together and we were engaged in the usual get acquainted chit-chat and both of us missed the intercept. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is an first officer on the dc- 9. He had never flown with the captain before this incident. He was 'lacking situational awareness on his part.' the flight crew was engaged in chit-chat to get acquainted and missed the turn point. ARTCC was not upset, it just wanted the aircraft on course. The reporter has not heard from the FAA on this. There is a 'time for chit-chat and a time for flying' and the crew made the wrong choice. The captain was not upset with the first officer as the captain recognized that both were at fault.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF FROM PHL-BDL. OUR CLRNC WAS TO INTERCEPT THE COYLE 274 DEG RADIAL AND THEN INTERCEPT J225 TO JFK. THE CAPT INTERCEPTED THE COYLE 274 DEG RADIAL BUT DID NOT NOTICE WHEN WE WERE ON J225 AND DID NOT INTERCEPT IT. ATC GAVE US A HDG TO REINTERCEPT WITH MAX DEV OFF COURSE OF ABOUT 10 MI. NO TFC CONFLICT WAS NOTICED EITHER VISUALLY OR ON TCASII. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FACT THAT THIS WAS OUR FIRST LEG FLYING TOGETHER AND WE WERE ENGAGED IN THE USUAL GET ACQUAINTED CHIT-CHAT AND BOTH OF US MISSED THE INTERCEPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS AN FO ON THE DC- 9. HE HAD NEVER FLOWN WITH THE CAPT BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. HE WAS 'LACKING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON HIS PART.' THE FLC WAS ENGAGED IN CHIT-CHAT TO GET ACQUAINTED AND MISSED THE TURN POINT. ARTCC WAS NOT UPSET, IT JUST WANTED THE ACFT ON COURSE. THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS. THERE IS A 'TIME FOR CHIT-CHAT AND A TIME FOR FLYING' AND THE CREW MADE THE WRONG CHOICE. THE CAPT WAS NOT UPSET WITH THE FO AS THE CAPT RECOGNIZED THAT BOTH WERE AT FAULT.

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.