B727 crew had track deviation in ZAU class a.

Attributes
ACN	474570
Time
Date	200005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fwa.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	474570
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
ASRS Report	474320
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed route, ord.gij.gij 092036.fwa.J178.ape.cmh. Approximately 15 NM prior to fwa, ATC issued clearance...'left turn 20 degrees to intercept J178 southeast of fwa.' due to close proximity of airway when clearance was issued and crew distraction with company's latest announcement of acquiring a rival airline with a flight attendant that had entered the cockpit, failure to intercept the airway occurred. ATC assigned a heading of 90 degrees and 300 KTS and informed us that we were 12 NM south of J178. ATC called out traffic at 10 O'clock position and 1000 ft below. No traffic conflict was reported.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW HAD TRACK DEV IN ZAU CLASS A.

Narrative: FILED RTE, ORD.GIJ.GIJ 092036.FWA.J178.APE.CMH. APPROX 15 NM PRIOR TO FWA, ATC ISSUED CLRNC...'L TURN 20 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J178 SE OF FWA.' DUE TO CLOSE PROX OF AIRWAY WHEN CLRNC WAS ISSUED AND CREW DISTR WITH COMPANY'S LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACQUIRING A RIVAL AIRLINE WITH A FLT ATTENDANT THAT HAD ENTERED THE COCKPIT, FAILURE TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY OCCURRED. ATC ASSIGNED A HEADING OF 90 DEGS AND 300 KTS AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE 12 NM S OF J178. ATC CALLED OUT TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS AND 1000 FT BELOW. NO TFC CONFLICT WAS RPTED.

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.