Narrative:

Scheduled flight mia-gcm, transitions cuban airspace G448 at FL337, cleared down to FL290, then pilot's discretion to FL190. Had previously been cleared to FL370, requested FL330. As we passed were cleared back to FL330. I reset altitude warning from FL370 to FL330 (autoplt engaged with altitude select) as I wound altitude down to FL330, autoplt captured, nose pitched over. First officer disconnected aircraft to smoothly transition altitude capture. Autoplt reengaged, but apparently ONS not reselected as navigation mode. Passing ucl sbound, noticed full deflection (excess of 7.5 NM) right of course. We were probably 40-50 NM south of ucl. Immediately turned 40 degrees left to intercept course sbound. First officer noted the ONS deflection on #1 omega, then noticed no green autoplt annunciator light. Both ADF needles on 230-ucl VOR tuned to gcm 115.6 but inbound course (179 degrees) had not been selected yet. During this time, the flight attendant had come into cockpit to discuss a seating problem. I had been distracted. First officer said he'd been mildly distracted. In the midst of this, the first officer then noted the course error. Captain (me) had used ONS regularly over last 3 yrs. First officer had never used it other than occasionally overflying domestic airways. I had never been to gcm. First officer had been there only once, so numerous times. Once reestablished on course centerline, asked havana control (133.7) if he showed us on course. His response was not quite clear. He did not advise us if he noted any navigation deviation. I had been preoccupied with 'properly getting it all done.' I overlooked the basics, lost sight of the forest because I was too worried about the trees.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DISTR AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH ONS, ACFT WAS OFF COURSE.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT MIA-GCM, TRANSITIONS CUBAN AIRSPACE G448 AT FL337, CLRED DOWN TO FL290, THEN PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL190. HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED TO FL370, REQUESTED FL330. AS WE PASSED WERE CLRED BACK TO FL330. I RESET ALT WARNING FROM FL370 TO FL330 (AUTOPLT ENGAGED WITH ALT SELECT) AS I WOUND ALT DOWN TO FL330, AUTOPLT CAPTURED, NOSE PITCHED OVER. FO DISCONNECTED ACFT TO SMOOTHLY TRANSITION ALT CAPTURE. AUTOPLT REENGAGED, BUT APPARENTLY ONS NOT RESELECTED AS NAV MODE. PASSING UCL SBOUND, NOTICED FULL DEFLECTION (EXCESS OF 7.5 NM) R OF COURSE. WE WERE PROBABLY 40-50 NM S OF UCL. IMMEDIATELY TURNED 40 DEGS L TO INTERCEPT COURSE SBOUND. FO NOTED THE ONS DEFLECTION ON #1 OMEGA, THEN NOTICED NO GREEN AUTOPLT ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT. BOTH ADF NEEDLES ON 230-UCL VOR TUNED TO GCM 115.6 BUT INBOUND COURSE (179 DEGS) HAD NOT BEEN SELECTED YET. DURING THIS TIME, THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD COME INTO COCKPIT TO DISCUSS A SEATING PROB. I HAD BEEN DISTRACTED. FO SAID HE'D BEEN MILDLY DISTRACTED. IN THE MIDST OF THIS, THE FO THEN NOTED THE COURSE ERROR. CAPT (ME) HAD USED ONS REGULARLY OVER LAST 3 YRS. FO HAD NEVER USED IT OTHER THAN OCCASIONALLY OVERFLYING DOMESTIC AIRWAYS. I HAD NEVER BEEN TO GCM. FO HAD BEEN THERE ONLY ONCE, SO NUMEROUS TIMES. ONCE REESTABLISHED ON COURSE CTRLINE, ASKED HAVANA CTL (133.7) IF HE SHOWED US ON COURSE. HIS RESPONSE WAS NOT QUITE CLR. HE DID NOT ADVISE US IF HE NOTED ANY NAV DEV. I HAD BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH 'PROPERLY GETTING IT ALL DONE.' I OVERLOOKED THE BASICS, LOST SIGHT OF THE FOREST BECAUSE I WAS TOO WORRIED ABOUT THE TREES.

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.