Narrative:

We were eastbound in cruise flight on a segment of J-128 that was 246 NM from VOR to VOR. Winds were northerly at approximately 90 KTS. I had noticed that we were 1 DOT right of centerline on the HSI, but that the first officer had a hefty crab of about 20 degrees to the airway course. I thought he was correcting and said nothing. A few mins went by and center pointed out to us that we were more than 10 NM, right of centerline and reclred us direct to the next VOR (hbu). I checked that we were about 5 degrees south of the 039 degree course, which at 112 mi from the NAVAID put us outside the airway. Then the first officer realized that he had set the wrong course in his HSI. I had incorrectly assumed that he was on top of things because he was highly experienced, and I failed to confirm that the correct course was set in his HSI, which is difficult to see from across the cockpit. Future recurrence of this situation will be prevented by verbalizing all course bearings as they are set, and visually verifying them as well. This requires extra effort in the B727 because the course readout is recessed within the HSI, and cannot easily be read from the opposite side of the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK POS DEV IN A B727. WINDS ALOFT AT 90 KTS FROM THE N AT FL370. WRONG COURSE SET ON HSI. CTLR CORRECTS FLC.

Narrative: WE WERE EBOUND IN CRUISE FLT ON A SEGMENT OF J-128 THAT WAS 246 NM FROM VOR TO VOR. WINDS WERE NORTHERLY AT APPROX 90 KTS. I HAD NOTICED THAT WE WERE 1 DOT R OF CTRLINE ON THE HSI, BUT THAT THE FO HAD A HEFTY CRAB OF ABOUT 20 DEGS TO THE AIRWAY COURSE. I THOUGHT HE WAS CORRECTING AND SAID NOTHING. A FEW MINS WENT BY AND CTR POINTED OUT TO US THAT WE WERE MORE THAN 10 NM, R OF CTRLINE AND RECLRED US DIRECT TO THE NEXT VOR (HBU). I CHKED THAT WE WERE ABOUT 5 DEGS S OF THE 039 DEG COURSE, WHICH AT 112 MI FROM THE NAVAID PUT US OUTSIDE THE AIRWAY. THEN THE FO REALIZED THAT HE HAD SET THE WRONG COURSE IN HIS HSI. I HAD INCORRECTLY ASSUMED THAT HE WAS ON TOP OF THINGS BECAUSE HE WAS HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, AND I FAILED TO CONFIRM THAT THE CORRECT COURSE WAS SET IN HIS HSI, WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM ACROSS THE COCKPIT. FUTURE RECURRENCE OF THIS SIT WILL BE PREVENTED BY VERBALIZING ALL COURSE BEARINGS AS THEY ARE SET, AND VISUALLY VERIFYING THEM AS WELL. THIS REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT IN THE B727 BECAUSE THE COURSE READOUT IS RECESSED WITHIN THE HSI, AND CANNOT EASILY BE READ FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COCKPIT.

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.