<< >> NASA ASRS Report 443070, July 1999

GA pilot distracted with radio operation gets off heading in IMC conditions. Takes the shortest route to assigned airway instead of the cleared route without advising controller.

Attributes
ACN	443070
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sug.vortac
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : avl.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure other
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	443070
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out of avl -- instrument flight plan -- departure control instructed me to fly 90 degrees to intercept V20. Before reaching intercept, I was distracted by a malfunction (slipping tuning knob) in my #2 VOR and deviated from course 45 degrees. I was hand-flying plane. Since I was then close to sug VOR I elected to go direct to sug and intercept V20 since it runs through sug. Controller noticed my deviation and questioned it, but permitted me to fly direct to sug VOR. In hindsight, I should have engaged autoplt before trying to fix VOR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT DISTRACTED WITH RADIO OP GETS OFF HEADING IN IMC CONDITIONS. TAKES THE SHORTEST RTE TO ASSIGNED AIRWAY INSTEAD OF THE CLRED RTE WITHOUT ADVISING CTLR.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF AVL -- INST FLT PLAN -- DEP CTL INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY 90 DEGS TO INTERCEPT V20. BEFORE REACHING INTERCEPT, I WAS DISTRACTED BY A MALFUNCTION (SLIPPING TUNING KNOB) IN MY #2 VOR AND DEVIATED FROM COURSE 45 DEGS. I WAS HAND-FLYING PLANE. SINCE I WAS THEN CLOSE TO SUG VOR I ELECTED TO GO DIRECT TO SUG AND INTERCEPT V20 SINCE IT RUNS THROUGH SUG. CTLR NOTICED MY DEV AND QUESTIONED IT, BUT PERMITTED ME TO FLY DIRECT TO SUG VOR. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED AUTOPLT BEFORE TRYING TO FIX VOR.

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.