DC8 crew had track deviation in ZME airspace.

Attributes
ACN	465140
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mkl.vor
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	465140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was pilot, my leg en route from toledo to el paso. Aircraft was on autoplt. I advised copilot I needed to get up to use the restroom. When I got up, either my knee or shoe hit the turn knob for the autoplt and unknowingly deflected enough to start about a 3 degree turn. At that time, neither the first officer nor I noticed it. When I returned to the seat approximately 3 mins later, I heard ATC ask us our heading. I sat down, looked at the HSI, and noticed our heading off approximately 80 degrees from course. ATC concurrently advised left turn back on course due to traffic. ATC also asked if we were having navigation trouble. At the time, I thought our slave mode to the compass failed and advised ATC. But after the rest of the flight we determined that I hit the turn knob, starting an unnoticeable shallow turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 CREW HAD TRACK DEV IN ZME AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS PLT, MY LEG ENRTE FROM TOLEDO TO EL PASO. ACFT WAS ON AUTOPLT. I ADVISED COPLT I NEEDED TO GET UP TO USE THE RESTROOM. WHEN I GOT UP, EITHER MY KNEE OR SHOE HIT THE TURN KNOB FOR THE AUTOPLT AND UNKNOWINGLY DEFLECTED ENOUGH TO START ABOUT A 3 DEG TURN. AT THAT TIME, NEITHER THE FO NOR I NOTICED IT. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE SEAT APPROX 3 MINS LATER, I HEARD ATC ASK US OUR HDG. I SAT DOWN, LOOKED AT THE HSI, AND NOTICED OUR HDG OFF APPROX 80 DEGS FROM COURSE. ATC CONCURRENTLY ADVISED L TURN BACK ON COURSE DUE TO TFC. ATC ALSO ASKED IF WE WERE HAVING NAV TROUBLE. AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT OUR SLAVE MODE TO THE COMPASS FAILED AND ADVISED ATC. BUT AFTER THE REST OF THE FLT WE DETERMINED THAT I HIT THE TURN KNOB, STARTING AN UNNOTICEABLE SHALLOW TURN.

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.