A DC9 crew, departing phl, failed to intercept a jet airway, as they were cleared to do.

Attributes
ACN	557041
Time
Date	200208
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ptw.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure enroute airway : j64.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 176 flight time total : 9028 flight time type : 2358
ASRS Report	557641
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed phl at approximately XA38. After being given vectors and climb clrncs, we were cleared direct to ptw. The initial part of our flight plan was as follows: phl ptw PTW320 J64 rav psb. We crossed ptw and flew outbound on the 320 degree radial. The PNF had the inbound radial (J64) to rav dialed in. Distance to intercept J64 is short. We overshot it by 6 mi when center alerted us that we were past the airway. We were then given direct to psb. I would say the cause of the airway overshoot was lack of focus of the task at hand. We were in level flight and all we had to worry about at that point in time was intercepting J64. No excuse. We weren't paying attention and blew right through the airway. This was a wake-up call. We as pilots are the most focused professionals in the world. We have to be. To prevent this from happening again, I will refocus on staying ahead of the plane and continue to always focus on the task at hand.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW, DEPARTING PHL, FAILED TO INTERCEPT A JET AIRWAY, AS THEY WERE CLRED TO DO.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED PHL AT APPROX XA38. AFTER BEING GIVEN VECTORS AND CLB CLRNCS, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO PTW. THE INITIAL PART OF OUR FLT PLAN WAS AS FOLLOWS: PHL PTW PTW320 J64 RAV PSB. WE CROSSED PTW AND FLEW OUTBOUND ON THE 320 DEG RADIAL. THE PNF HAD THE INBOUND RADIAL (J64) TO RAV DIALED IN. DISTANCE TO INTERCEPT J64 IS SHORT. WE OVERSHOT IT BY 6 MI WHEN CTR ALERTED US THAT WE WERE PAST THE AIRWAY. WE WERE THEN GIVEN DIRECT TO PSB. I WOULD SAY THE CAUSE OF THE AIRWAY OVERSHOOT WAS LACK OF FOCUS OF THE TASK AT HAND. WE WERE IN LEVEL FLT AND ALL WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME WAS INTERCEPTING J64. NO EXCUSE. WE WEREN'T PAYING ATTN AND BLEW RIGHT THROUGH THE AIRWAY. THIS WAS A WAKE-UP CALL. WE AS PLTS ARE THE MOST FOCUSED PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE TO BE. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WILL REFOCUS ON STAYING AHEAD OF THE PLANE AND CONTINUE TO ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND.

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.