Narrative:

Flight was cleared via blh pxr J18 sjn, etc. 40 west of pxr aircraft was using omega navigation track. Navigation was then switched to VOR to get position update over pxr. Shortly after this, PF received crew meal and neglected to catch station passage over pxr. J18 would have been about 30 degree turn to the left. ATC called about 12 DME east of pxr inquiring about position, at which time we turned left to reintercept course. Another case of becoming distracted and neglecting primary duties. Also, PF, me, neglected to verbally advise first officer that we were switching from navigation track to VOR track. Had this been done, the first officer may have been more aware of the navigation mode and caught the error. I think it may be a good technique to not make any changes on the flight data panel without telling the other pilot, thereby doing a better job of keeping everyone in the loop. More vigilance required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR AND NAV MODE CHANGE TOOK ACFT OFF COURSE. ATC INTERVENED AND ACFT RETURNED ON COURSE.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED VIA BLH PXR J18 SJN, ETC. 40 W OF PXR ACFT WAS USING OMEGA NAV TRACK. NAV WAS THEN SWITCHED TO VOR TO GET POS UPDATE OVER PXR. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, PF RECEIVED CREW MEAL AND NEGLECTED TO CATCH STATION PASSAGE OVER PXR. J18 WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 30 DEG TURN TO THE L. ATC CALLED ABOUT 12 DME E OF PXR INQUIRING ABOUT POS, AT WHICH TIME WE TURNED L TO REINTERCEPT COURSE. ANOTHER CASE OF BECOMING DISTRACTED AND NEGLECTING PRIMARY DUTIES. ALSO, PF, ME, NEGLECTED TO VERBALLY ADVISE FO THAT WE WERE SWITCHING FROM NAV TRACK TO VOR TRACK. HAD THIS BEEN DONE, THE FO MAY HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF THE NAV MODE AND CAUGHT THE ERROR. I THINK IT MAY BE A GOOD TECHNIQUE TO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES ON THE FLT DATA PANEL WITHOUT TELLING THE OTHER PLT, THEREBY DOING A BETTER JOB OF KEEPING EVERYONE IN THE LOOP. MORE VIGILANCE REQUIRED.

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.