<< >> NASA ASRS Report 430670, March 1999

B737 crew overshoots assigned track after being distraction by cockpit noise while climbing in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	430670
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ood.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	430670
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed phl en route sju. Departure control handed us off to center who gave us climb clearance and clearance to intercept woodstown 198 degree radial. Copilot was flying. We were having noise and slight vibration from air duct or airframe. I selected what I thought was correct intercept on FMC and began to see where vibrations were coming from. Could not see any problems. Then vibrations stopped. We then noticed that FMC was not giving correct information and switched to VOR, but had passed assigned radial. We started turn back to radial when controller asked if we had started our turn. We said yes. Then he said, 'well, no problem, just go direct sea isle.' although this did not cause a problem it was a case of not having someone concentrate strictly on flying the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED TRACK AFTER BEING DISTR BY COCKPIT NOISE WHILE CLBING IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTED PHL ENRTE SJU. DEP CTL HANDED US OFF TO CTR WHO GAVE US CLB CLRNC AND CLRNC TO INTERCEPT WOODSTOWN 198 DEG RADIAL. COPLT WAS FLYING. WE WERE HAVING NOISE AND SLIGHT VIBRATION FROM AIR DUCT OR AIRFRAME. I SELECTED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS CORRECT INTERCEPT ON FMC AND BEGAN TO SEE WHERE VIBRATIONS WERE COMING FROM. COULD NOT SEE ANY PROBS. THEN VIBRATIONS STOPPED. WE THEN NOTICED THAT FMC WAS NOT GIVING CORRECT INFO AND SWITCHED TO VOR, BUT HAD PASSED ASSIGNED RADIAL. WE STARTED TURN BACK TO RADIAL WHEN CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD STARTED OUR TURN. WE SAID YES. THEN HE SAID, 'WELL, NO PROB, JUST GO DIRECT SEA ISLE.' ALTHOUGH THIS DID NOT CAUSE A PROB IT WAS A CASE OF NOT HAVING SOMEONE CONCENTRATE STRICTLY ON FLYING THE ACFT.

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.