MD80 crew had a track deviation in ZTL class a.

Attributes
ACN	506540
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vxv.vortac
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	506540
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

ATC clearance from ZTL to proceed direct to vxv VOR then via J91 as filed. First officer was flying. After reaching vxv first officer set in direct course radial (037 degrees) rather than J91 radial (030 degrees). Captain set in J91 inbound radial to hnn (115.9) then proceeded to log engine data and make PA announcement. When captain returned to communication frequency and requested direct bellaire VOR, a very agitated ZTL controller gave us a vector back to J91 and said we were 7 NM east off course. He also demanded to know where we thought we were going. I explained our navigation error and asked him if there was a problem (with aircraft separation). He answered that there was not a problem. Based on our VOR radio and our distance from vxv when we set in proper VOR radial for J91, we determined our position less than 5 NM east of J91 centerline. This was day 4 of a 4 day trip which had departures of XA00, XA30 and XA00. I believe fatigue was a major factor which contributed to the first officer setting the wrong radial and my not noticing his error sooner than I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD A TRACK DEV IN ZTL CLASS A.

Narrative: ATC CLRNC FROM ZTL TO PROCEED DIRECT TO VXV VOR THEN VIA J91 AS FILED. FO WAS FLYING. AFTER REACHING VXV FO SET IN DIRECT COURSE RADIAL (037 DEGS) RATHER THAN J91 RADIAL (030 DEGS). CAPT SET IN J91 INBOUND RADIAL TO HNN (115.9) THEN PROCEEDED TO LOG ENG DATA AND MAKE PA ANNOUNCEMENT. WHEN CAPT RETURNED TO COM FREQ AND REQUESTED DIRECT BELLAIRE VOR, A VERY AGITATED ZTL CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR BACK TO J91 AND SAID WE WERE 7 NM E OFF COURSE. HE ALSO DEMANDED TO KNOW WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING. I EXPLAINED OUR NAV ERROR AND ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS A PROB (WITH ACFT SEPARATION). HE ANSWERED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROB. BASED ON OUR VOR RADIO AND OUR DISTANCE FROM VXV WHEN WE SET IN PROPER VOR RADIAL FOR J91, WE DETERMINED OUR POS LESS THAN 5 NM E OF J91 CTRLINE. THIS WAS DAY 4 OF A 4 DAY TRIP WHICH HAD DEPS OF XA00, XA30 AND XA00. I BELIEVE FATIGUE WAS A MAJOR FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FO SETTING THE WRONG RADIAL AND MY NOT NOTICING HIS ERROR SOONER THAN I DID.

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.