An air carrier freighter crew overshoots its holding point by 20 mi east of obk, il.

Attributes
ACN	456870
Time
Date	199912
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : obk.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : holding cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j584.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	456870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route, lax-ewr, at FL370, we were issued holding instructions by ZAU. After the second revision to efc time we started getting concerned about having enough fuel to get to ewr. I was flying and wanted to send a message to our control center via onboard ACARS. So I told first officer to fly the holding pattern while I input the message. After message was sent we were discussing options when the first officer noticed we had flown by our holding fix by approximately 20 mi. We had just started our turn back when center asked 'where we were going?' didn't seem to be any conflict, no evasive action required. A classic case of 'nobody minding the store.' although I specifically asked the first officer to fly while I communicated with the company, after finishing my message there seemed to be ambiguity about who was flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FREIGHTER CREW OVERSHOOTS ITS HOLDING POINT BY 20 MI E OF OBK, IL.

Narrative: ENRTE, LAX-EWR, AT FL370, WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS BY ZAU. AFTER THE SECOND REVISION TO EFC TIME WE STARTED GETTING CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH FUEL TO GET TO EWR. I WAS FLYING AND WANTED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR CTL CTR VIA ONBOARD ACARS. SO I TOLD FO TO FLY THE HOLDING PATTERN WHILE I INPUT THE MESSAGE. AFTER MESSAGE WAS SENT WE WERE DISCUSSING OPTIONS WHEN THE FO NOTICED WE HAD FLOWN BY OUR HOLDING FIX BY APPROX 20 MI. WE HAD JUST STARTED OUR TURN BACK WHEN CTR ASKED 'WHERE WE WERE GOING?' DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONFLICT, NO EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED. A CLASSIC CASE OF 'NOBODY MINDING THE STORE.' ALTHOUGH I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE FO TO FLY WHILE I COMMUNICATED WITH THE COMPANY, AFTER FINISHING MY MESSAGE THERE SEEMED TO BE AMBIGUITY ABOUT WHO WAS FLYING.

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.