Narrative:

On autoplt, on a vector to laa, autoplt on heading select mode. I am not sure how it happened, but the turn knob was displaced out of center detent and it was apparently in a 2-3 degree left bank that was not noticed by us (we were also IMC). The aircraft turned approximately 90 degrees left before I noticed the error. At the same time, center asked, 'where are you going?' contributing factors may have been: eating breakfast at the time, so attention was somewhat diverted, and also, tired from a short layover in a noisy (kids on spring break) hotel. I still do not know how the knob may have been bumped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRLINE FLC DEVIATED FROM THEIR ASSIGNED, VECTOR HDG DUE TO THE AUTOPLT HDG SELECTION KNOB'S DISPLACEMENT FROM CTR DETENT.

Narrative: ON AUTOPLT, ON A VECTOR TO LAA, AUTOPLT ON HDG SELECT MODE. I AM NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT THE TURN KNOB WAS DISPLACED OUT OF CTR DETENT AND IT WAS APPARENTLY IN A 2-3 DEG L BANK THAT WAS NOT NOTICED BY US (WE WERE ALSO IMC). THE ACFT TURNED APPROX 90 DEGS L BEFORE I NOTICED THE ERROR. AT THE SAME TIME, CTR ASKED, 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN: EATING BREAKFAST AT THE TIME, SO ATTN WAS SOMEWHAT DIVERTED, AND ALSO, TIRED FROM A SHORT LAYOVER IN A NOISY (KIDS ON SPRING BREAK) HOTEL. I STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW THE KNOB MAY HAVE BEEN BUMPED.

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.