Narrative:

Well into descent, first officer calls dro operations for changeover. I hear, I will let you talk to the captain about that. A discussion ensued concerning the handling of an unaccompanied minor that was to be met by law enforcement. After going back and forth with the flight attendant concerning how the officer would enplane, considering the unaccompanied minor's location. It is notable that this exchange was occurring at about 50 DME from dro in a descent. We were then put on a heading direct dro, and the first officer made the 25 mi call. When he came back on ATC, there was a garbled transmission, to which the first officer responded, and the controller responded that it would help if I and the controller were on the right frequency. It was at that time that I began a turn to intercept the 14 DME arc. The controller asked us who assigned us the arc and gave us a heading to 355 degrees and a phone number. We were vectored to an uneventful landing and spoke with the supervisor, who told me that there was no loss of separation, but there was light aircraft traffic out of farmington that could have caused a conflict. He also stated that this was the 4TH incident of intercepting the arc while on a heading. Factors: distraction late in descent concerning passenger. Should have been prebriefed by agents prior to departure. Busy cockpit with blocked xmissions, obtaining WX, CTAF, etc. If I am established on the arc at the correct altitude I will be safe. I realize that if you are given a heading you must stay on it.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLC FAILED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED HDG ON DSCNT INTO DRO.

Narrative: WELL INTO DSCNT, FO CALLS DRO OPS FOR CHANGEOVER. I HEAR, I WILL LET YOU TALK TO THE CAPT ABOUT THAT. A DISCUSSION ENSUED CONCERNING THE HANDLING OF AN UNACCOMPANIED MINOR THAT WAS TO BE MET BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT CONCERNING HOW THE OFFICER WOULD ENPLANE, CONSIDERING THE UNACCOMPANIED MINOR'S LOCATION. IT IS NOTABLE THAT THIS EXCHANGE WAS OCCURRING AT ABOUT 50 DME FROM DRO IN A DSCNT. WE WERE THEN PUT ON A HDG DIRECT DRO, AND THE FO MADE THE 25 MI CALL. WHEN HE CAME BACK ON ATC, THERE WAS A GARBLED XMISSION, TO WHICH THE FO RESPONDED, AND THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT IT WOULD HELP IF I AND THE CTLR WERE ON THE RIGHT FREQ. IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT I BEGAN A TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 14 DME ARC. THE CTLR ASKED US WHO ASSIGNED US THE ARC AND GAVE US A HDG TO 355 DEGS AND A PHONE NUMBER. WE WERE VECTORED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR, WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION, BUT THERE WAS LIGHT ACFT TFC OUT OF FARMINGTON THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A CONFLICT. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS WAS THE 4TH INCIDENT OF INTERCEPTING THE ARC WHILE ON A HDG. FACTORS: DISTR LATE IN DSCNT CONCERNING PAX. SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREBRIEFED BY AGENTS PRIOR TO DEP. BUSY COCKPIT WITH BLOCKED XMISSIONS, OBTAINING WX, CTAF, ETC. IF I AM ESTABLISHED ON THE ARC AT THE CORRECT ALT I WILL BE SAFE. I REALIZE THAT IF YOU ARE GIVEN A HDG YOU MUST STAY ON IT.

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.