Narrative:

After flying from dtw to pbi with passenger we deplaned, cleared and then departed empty (2 pilots and 3 flight attendants) to tpa to pick up passenger. The captain was flying and I was the PNF. We were cleared to labelle VOR and the bridge 5 arrival to tpa. I was distracted as we approached a fix that, after passage, required a right turn to a 360 degree heading. I was on the #2 radio speaking with operations concerning our arrival and subsequent departure. While I was 'off' the captain flew past the fix and failed to turn to the prescribed heading. A few mi later ATC queried us and gave us a 030 degree heading to vector us back to the correct track. As an first officer I learned 2 important lessons. First: try to plan when to call operations so that I am not 'off' the frequency during maneuvering portions of an arrival. Second: if it is required to be 'off' during a maneuvering portion of an arrival, brief or 'remind' the other pilot on upcoming turns prior to leaving the frequency. Also, I would suggest a color change on the heading portion, perhaps red? The remainder of the arrival, approach, landing and taxi-in were without irregularity and ATC did not query us further or require a call to the tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 OVERSHOT ITS TURNING POINT ON A STAR ARR PROC.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING FROM DTW TO PBI WITH PAX WE DEPLANED, CLRED AND THEN DEPARTED EMPTY (2 PLTS AND 3 FLT ATTENDANTS) TO TPA TO PICK UP PAX. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND I WAS THE PNF. WE WERE CLRED TO LABELLE VOR AND THE BRIDGE 5 ARR TO TPA. I WAS DISTRACTED AS WE APCHED A FIX THAT, AFTER PASSAGE, REQUIRED A R TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG. I WAS ON THE #2 RADIO SPEAKING WITH OPS CONCERNING OUR ARR AND SUBSEQUENT DEP. WHILE I WAS 'OFF' THE CAPT FLEW PAST THE FIX AND FAILED TO TURN TO THE PRESCRIBED HEADING. A FEW MI LATER ATC QUERIED US AND GAVE US A 030 DEG HDG TO VECTOR US BACK TO THE CORRECT TRACK. AS AN FO I LEARNED 2 IMPORTANT LESSONS. FIRST: TRY TO PLAN WHEN TO CALL OPS SO THAT I AM NOT 'OFF' THE FREQ DURING MANEUVERING PORTIONS OF AN ARR. SECOND: IF IT IS REQUIRED TO BE 'OFF' DURING A MANEUVERING PORTION OF AN ARR, BRIEF OR 'REMIND' THE OTHER PLT ON UPCOMING TURNS PRIOR TO LEAVING THE FREQ. ALSO, I WOULD SUGGEST A COLOR CHANGE ON THE HEADING PORTION, PERHAPS RED? THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR, APCH, LNDG AND TAXI-IN WERE WITHOUT IRREGULARITY AND ATC DID NOT QUERY US FURTHER OR REQUIRE A CALL TO THE TWR.

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.