An LR24 crew may have been off course. Aircraft equipment problem 'weak' VHF, VOR, and autoplt.

Attributes
ACN	339029
Time
Date	199606
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ffu airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tower : tol
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 24
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	339029
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time type : 100
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft deviation off course, although all indications inside aircraft showed none. And later on, ATC wasn't sure either. Aircraft was picked up in tampa area to be ferried to salt lake city far part 91. Aircraft was a very early LR24 with a lot of unknown problems to the crew. Preflight took over 2 hours. A few things should have told me right away that aircraft was not very sound. Because of good WX for the whole trip (in daylight), I didn't make a big deal of a few minor problems with aircraft (example: weak radios, weak autoplt, etc). On the STAR into slc, radios got very bad, approach said we showed to be off course a bit, and later even they weren't sure if we were. Both navigation and communication were very weak. Lesson learned: this aircraft was old and kind of run down. I was given a copilot with only 100 hours in type, and have never seen this aircraft before. I learned that you have to be very inquisitive and selective and look over every detail, even things that you take for granted, before accepting a flight in an unfamiliar aircraft with a new copilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR24 CREW MAY HAVE BEEN OFF COURSE. ACFT EQUIP PROB 'WEAK' VHF, VOR, AND AUTOPLT.

Narrative: ACFT DEV OFF COURSE, ALTHOUGH ALL INDICATIONS INSIDE ACFT SHOWED NONE. AND LATER ON, ATC WASN'T SURE EITHER. ACFT WAS PICKED UP IN TAMPA AREA TO BE FERRIED TO SALT LAKE CITY FAR PART 91. ACFT WAS A VERY EARLY LR24 WITH A LOT OF UNKNOWN PROBS TO THE CREW. PREFLT TOOK OVER 2 HRS. A FEW THINGS SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME RIGHT AWAY THAT ACFT WAS NOT VERY SOUND. BECAUSE OF GOOD WX FOR THE WHOLE TRIP (IN DAYLIGHT), I DIDN'T MAKE A BIG DEAL OF A FEW MINOR PROBS WITH ACFT (EXAMPLE: WEAK RADIOS, WEAK AUTOPLT, ETC). ON THE STAR INTO SLC, RADIOS GOT VERY BAD, APCH SAID WE SHOWED TO BE OFF COURSE A BIT, AND LATER EVEN THEY WEREN'T SURE IF WE WERE. BOTH NAV AND COM WERE VERY WEAK. LESSON LEARNED: THIS ACFT WAS OLD AND KIND OF RUN DOWN. I WAS GIVEN A COPLT WITH ONLY 100 HRS IN TYPE, AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS ACFT BEFORE. I LEARNED THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY INQUISITIVE AND SELECTIVE AND LOOK OVER EVERY DETAIL, EVEN THINGS THAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED, BEFORE ACCEPTING A FLT IN AN UNFAMILIAR ACFT WITH A NEW COPLT.

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.