Air carrier flight crew experiences track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	464270
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : adw.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : ege.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure sid : paleo.2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	464270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the climb on the paleo 2 from dca I was the PNF. We were tracking the 070 degree radial from andrews VOR to paleo. I then switched my VOR indicator to the next radial to intercept sea ILS VOR 276 degree radial which idents paleo. I was busy with my climb flows and I took my eyes from the screen, captain turned, and I thought he had intercepted the airway's radial (VOR at that distance is not very accurate and when I looked back the radial was off but moving toward center). At this time ATC called us and asked heading. They then replied with advice that we were 7 mi off airway and gave us new heading to intercept. Captain was new to route and turned earlier than 26 DME (as charted for paleo) even though I mentioned to him earlier what the paleo 2 departure required, knowing captain was new I should have monitored his conduct of flight more attentively.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC EXPERIENCES TRACK DEV.

Narrative: ON THE CLB ON THE PALEO 2 FROM DCA I WAS THE PNF. WE WERE TRACKING THE 070 DEG RADIAL FROM ANDREWS VOR TO PALEO. I THEN SWITCHED MY VOR INDICATOR TO THE NEXT RADIAL TO INTERCEPT SEA ILS VOR 276 DEG RADIAL WHICH IDENTS PALEO. I WAS BUSY WITH MY CLB FLOWS AND I TOOK MY EYES FROM THE SCREEN, CAPT TURNED, AND I THOUGHT HE HAD INTERCEPTED THE AIRWAY'S RADIAL (VOR AT THAT DISTANCE IS NOT VERY ACCURATE AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK THE RADIAL WAS OFF BUT MOVING TOWARD CTR). AT THIS TIME ATC CALLED US AND ASKED HEADING. THEY THEN REPLIED WITH ADVICE THAT WE WERE 7 MI OFF AIRWAY AND GAVE US NEW HEADING TO INTERCEPT. CAPT WAS NEW TO RTE AND TURNED EARLIER THAN 26 DME (AS CHARTED FOR PALEO) EVEN THOUGH I MENTIONED TO HIM EARLIER WHAT THE PALEO 2 DEP REQUIRED, KNOWING CAPT WAS NEW I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED HIS CONDUCT OF FLT MORE ATTENTIVELY.

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.