A DH8C crew, north of course, feared possible restr area violation.

Attributes
ACN	504370
Time
Date	200103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fay.airport
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fay.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors enroute airway : v54.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14200 flight time type : 8200
ASRS Report	504370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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:

En route from clt to fay captain went off radio frequency to talk to company and look up correct approach plate. When I returned to frequency and looked at navigation instruments, I noticed that we were somewhat north of course, and queried first officer if we were on a vector, worried that we were close to a restr area. Was about to ask controller when he (controller) came on and gave us a 050 degree heading saying he may be able to 'get us in a little faster.' he gave us a couple more vectors, then cleared us for a visual approach. Nothing was mentioned so I assumed there was no problem. No further or other questions. What could have been done better: better communication and positional awareness between crew members when one of them is busy doing other cockpit tasks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DH8C CREW, N OF COURSE, FEARED POSSIBLE RESTR AREA VIOLATION.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM CLT TO FAY CAPT WENT OFF RADIO FREQ TO TALK TO COMPANY AND LOOK UP CORRECT APCH PLATE. WHEN I RETURNED TO FREQ AND LOOKED AT NAV INSTS, I NOTICED THAT WE WERE SOMEWHAT N OF COURSE, AND QUERIED FO IF WE WERE ON A VECTOR, WORRIED THAT WE WERE CLOSE TO A RESTR AREA. WAS ABOUT TO ASK CTLR WHEN HE (CTLR) CAME ON AND GAVE US A 050 DEG HDG SAYING HE MAY BE ABLE TO 'GET US IN A LITTLE FASTER.' HE GAVE US A COUPLE MORE VECTORS, THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED SO I ASSUMED THERE WAS NO PROB. NO FURTHER OR OTHER QUESTIONS. WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER: BETTER COM AND POSITIONAL AWARENESS BTWN CREW MEMBERS WHEN ONE OF THEM IS BUSY DOING OTHER COCKPIT TASKS.

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.