Narrative:

We were in cruise at FL270 between pxt and dqo on the nanci 5 arrival to lga. A turn is required at swann intersection from pxt 019 degree radial to dqo 053 degree radial. I was flying and had pxt on my VOR. The first officer had dqo on her VOR. Everything was normal. One of the flight attendants entered the cockpit to request a change of the airconditioning to a warmer temperature, which the first officer started to adjust. The first officer was new to this airplane and we discussed the problems involved with the particular system and the difficulty of maintaining a comfortable cabin temperature. During this distraction, we flew past the turn point. Approximately 8-9 mi beyond the turn point, ATC called and gave us a right turn back toward course. The controller stated there was no problem, but that we were about to enter a restr area. The oft used statement 'fly the aircraft first' comes to mind. The first officer had previously flown a 2ND or 3RD generation automated glass cockpit. I had spent many yrs on a first generation automated cockpit, and had been back to this very basic type cockpit about 1 yr. I think this was at least part of the problem. Old habits die hard. When crews switch from high levels of automation to lower levels, it seems to me that there is a tendency to have a relapse, so to speak. This is much more of a problem than the industry has realized. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the b- 737 for a united states air carrier. He was called for a special study for which he did not qualify. The ARTCC controller was not upset and the reporter has not heard from the FAA on this matter. Closer attention to detail and better situational awareness would have prevented this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRCONDITIONING PROB LEADS TO A TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL270 BTWN PXT AND DQO ON THE NANCI 5 ARR TO LGA. A TURN IS REQUIRED AT SWANN INTXN FROM PXT 019 DEG RADIAL TO DQO 053 DEG RADIAL. I WAS FLYING AND HAD PXT ON MY VOR. THE FO HAD DQO ON HER VOR. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO REQUEST A CHANGE OF THE AIRCONDITIONING TO A WARMER TEMP, WHICH THE FO STARTED TO ADJUST. THE FO WAS NEW TO THIS AIRPLANE AND WE DISCUSSED THE PROBS INVOLVED WITH THE PARTICULAR SYS AND THE DIFFICULTY OF MAINTAINING A COMFORTABLE CABIN TEMP. DURING THIS DISTR, WE FLEW PAST THE TURN POINT. APPROX 8-9 MI BEYOND THE TURN POINT, ATC CALLED AND GAVE US A R TURN BACK TOWARD COURSE. THE CTLR STATED THERE WAS NO PROB, BUT THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A RESTR AREA. THE OFT USED STATEMENT 'FLY THE ACFT FIRST' COMES TO MIND. THE FO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN A 2ND OR 3RD GENERATION AUTOMATED GLASS COCKPIT. I HAD SPENT MANY YRS ON A FIRST GENERATION AUTOMATED COCKPIT, AND HAD BEEN BACK TO THIS VERY BASIC TYPE COCKPIT ABOUT 1 YR. I THINK THIS WAS AT LEAST PART OF THE PROB. OLD HABITS DIE HARD. WHEN CREWS SWITCH FROM HIGH LEVELS OF AUTOMATION TO LOWER LEVELS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS A TENDENCY TO HAVE A RELAPSE, SO TO SPEAK. THIS IS MUCH MORE OF A PROB THAN THE INDUSTRY HAS REALIZED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B- 737 FOR A UNITED STATES ACR. HE WAS CALLED FOR A SPECIAL STUDY FOR WHICH HE DID NOT QUALIFY. THE ARTCC CTLR WAS NOT UPSET AND THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS MATTER. CLOSER ATTN TO DETAIL AND BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.