MD80 crew had track deviation while cleared direct to yxy.

Attributes
ACN	457660
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : svm.vortac
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	457660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	457659
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Navigation error. Passing over svm with a direct clearance to yxu, I misread the united states hi chart and turned to 095 outbound. I continued for about 35 mi until I wanted to set in the inbound yxu radial and noticed such a disparity that I reread the chart and saw that I had put the 095 degree radial, which was depicted in blue instead of the 073 degree radial, which was depicted in brown as the direct radials would have been depicted. I reset the proper radials and flew back to the correct inbound course. Center made no comment. The 095 degree radial overlaid the brown direct airway and I made a mistake. The first officer was using the canada/alaska high chart which doesn't -- due to scale show direct legs at all. Supplemental information from acn 457659: captain's leg. He was using united states hi 3/4 chart. I was using canada/alaska hi, which did not depict brown rtes. I had next outbound leg in my side as we were cleared to proceed direct and did not notice that captain was flying an incorrect brown outbound radial. He made an immediate correction to the direct course and we proceeded as cleared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD TRACK DEV WHILE CLRED DIRECT TO YXY.

Narrative: NAV ERROR. PASSING OVER SVM WITH A DIRECT CLRNC TO YXU, I MISREAD THE UNITED STATES HI CHART AND TURNED TO 095 OUTBOUND. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 35 MI UNTIL I WANTED TO SET IN THE INBOUND YXU RADIAL AND NOTICED SUCH A DISPARITY THAT I REREAD THE CHART AND SAW THAT I HAD PUT THE 095 DEG RADIAL, WHICH WAS DEPICTED IN BLUE INSTEAD OF THE 073 DEG RADIAL, WHICH WAS DEPICTED IN BROWN AS THE DIRECT RADIALS WOULD HAVE BEEN DEPICTED. I RESET THE PROPER RADIALS AND FLEW BACK TO THE CORRECT INBOUND COURSE. CTR MADE NO COMMENT. THE 095 DEG RADIAL OVERLAID THE BROWN DIRECT AIRWAY AND I MADE A MISTAKE. THE FO WAS USING THE CANADA/ALASKA HIGH CHART WHICH DOESN'T -- DUE TO SCALE SHOW DIRECT LEGS AT ALL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 457659: CAPT'S LEG. HE WAS USING UNITED STATES HI 3/4 CHART. I WAS USING CANADA/ALASKA HI, WHICH DID NOT DEPICT BROWN RTES. I HAD NEXT OUTBOUND LEG IN MY SIDE AS WE WERE CLRED TO PROCEED DIRECT AND DID NOT NOTICE THAT CAPT WAS FLYING AN INCORRECT BROWN OUTBOUND RADIAL. HE MADE AN IMMEDIATE CORRECTION TO THE DIRECT COURSE AND WE PROCEEDED AS CLRED.

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.