DC9 crew had a track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	441610
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lib.vortac
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : packk 5 enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	441610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the packk five departure out of rdu receiving radar vectors. The last vector was direct to lib VOR to resume the departure then as filed. After reaching lib I should have tracked the lib 278 degree radial for 31 mi to azell intersection before going direct to cae VOR. Instead, when we reached lib I forgot about azell and went direct to cae. After a couple of mins the controller asked us to tell him our heading. While my first officer was telling him our heading I double-checked the departure routing and discovered my error. I realized how serious this could be and told the controller what I'd done. His reply indicated that we had no conflict with other traffic. I believe the reason I'd forgotten about azell is that I'd covered up the departure plate with my en route chart while we were getting vectors. In the future, I'll pull the departure plate from the book and have it in front of me on the yoke. If I'd done that in this case, my eyes would have been drawn to the departure graphic and I'd have been much less likely to forget about azell.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD A TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE PACKK FIVE DEP OUT OF RDU RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS. THE LAST VECTOR WAS DIRECT TO LIB VOR TO RESUME THE DEP THEN AS FILED. AFTER REACHING LIB I SHOULD HAVE TRACKED THE LIB 278 DEG RADIAL FOR 31 MI TO AZELL INTXN BEFORE GOING DIRECT TO CAE VOR. INSTEAD, WHEN WE REACHED LIB I FORGOT ABOUT AZELL AND WENT DIRECT TO CAE. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS THE CTLR ASKED US TO TELL HIM OUR HEADING. WHILE MY FO WAS TELLING HIM OUR HEADING I DOUBLE-CHKED THE DEP ROUTING AND DISCOVERED MY ERROR. I REALIZED HOW SERIOUS THIS COULD BE AND TOLD THE CTLR WHAT I'D DONE. HIS REPLY INDICATED THAT WE HAD NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. I BELIEVE THE REASON I'D FORGOTTEN ABOUT AZELL IS THAT I'D COVERED UP THE DEP PLATE WITH MY ENRTE CHART WHILE WE WERE GETTING VECTORS. IN THE FUTURE, I'LL PULL THE DEP PLATE FROM THE BOOK AND HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME ON THE YOKE. IF I'D DONE THAT IN THIS CASE, MY EYES WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THE DEP GRAPHIC AND I'D HAVE BEEN MUCH LESS LIKELY TO FORGET ABOUT AZELL.

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.