A CRJ200 FMS failed to update after takeoff. A 'dr excess 5 min' annunciated after the crew was unab...

Attributes
ACN	782032
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 104 flight time total : 7100 flight time type : 7100
ASRS Report	782032
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	782537
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We departed runway 13R with a climb to 5000 ft and a heading of 170 degrees. After we were established on a 170 degree heading we were told to turn left to intersection. Our FMS showed intersection to our right. We queried ATC to confirm the left turn. The controller said; 'cleared direct intersection.' we set intersection in the FMS and turned right. ATC then asked if we were in a right turn and of course we were. ATC told us to turn left to a particular heading (150 degrees; I think) and we received more vectors to get to a heading in the direction of intersection. During the vectors; we noticed 'dr excess 5 mins' on the FMS. We did not see this message was inoperative and we switched to green data and navigation'ed using VOR's. The distance between WWW and YYY is large and we needed some vectors as help to stay on course. We navigation'ed for the remainder of the flight on green data with the use of en route charts and vectors. The remainder of the flight proceeded without event. I wrote up the FMS in ZZZ1. The maintenance man had trouble getting the FMS to update its position. That seems to be the problem with the FMS. After several tries and on reset; the FMS finally updated its position and the maintenance man signed off on the write-up. During preflight at ZZZ we programmed the FMS properly and we both confirmed the flight plan. No messages were showing on the FMS. The toga buttons were engaged before takeoff and no messages were displayed during takeoff and climb. Once the messages were displayed we noticed that the FMS was showing about 100 NM off course (to the north) for the entire flight. That's why intersection was shown to our right and not to our left. As a crew; we could have displayed better situational awareness. The departure chart clearly showed intersection would have been to our left after a turn to 170 degrees. We relied too heavily on the FMS for navigation information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 FMS FAILED TO UPDATE AFTER TKOF. A 'DR EXCESS 5 MIN' ANNUNCIATED AFTER THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO NAVIGATE TO A FIX ON THE ROUTE. THE FMS WAS ABOUT 100 NM OFF COURSE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 13R WITH A CLB TO 5000 FT AND A HDG OF 170 DEGS. AFTER WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON A 170 DEG HDG WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO INTXN. OUR FMS SHOWED INTXN TO OUR R. WE QUERIED ATC TO CONFIRM THE L TURN. THE CTLR SAID; 'CLRED DIRECT INTXN.' WE SET INTXN IN THE FMS AND TURNED R. ATC THEN ASKED IF WE WERE IN A R TURN AND OF COURSE WE WERE. ATC TOLD US TO TURN L TO A PARTICULAR HDG (150 DEGS; I THINK) AND WE RECEIVED MORE VECTORS TO GET TO A HDG IN THE DIRECTION OF INTXN. DURING THE VECTORS; WE NOTICED 'DR EXCESS 5 MINS' ON THE FMS. WE DID NOT SEE THIS MESSAGE WAS INOP AND WE SWITCHED TO GREEN DATA AND NAV'ED USING VOR'S. THE DISTANCE BTWN WWW AND YYY IS LARGE AND WE NEEDED SOME VECTORS AS HELP TO STAY ON COURSE. WE NAV'ED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT ON GREEN DATA WITH THE USE OF ENRTE CHARTS AND VECTORS. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT EVENT. I WROTE UP THE FMS IN ZZZ1. THE MAINT MAN HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE FMS TO UPDATE ITS POS. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROB WITH THE FMS. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES AND ON RESET; THE FMS FINALLY UPDATED ITS POS AND THE MAINT MAN SIGNED OFF ON THE WRITE-UP. DURING PREFLT AT ZZZ WE PROGRAMMED THE FMS PROPERLY AND WE BOTH CONFIRMED THE FLT PLAN. NO MESSAGES WERE SHOWING ON THE FMS. THE TOGA BUTTONS WERE ENGAGED BEFORE TKOF AND NO MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED DURING TKOF AND CLB. ONCE THE MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED WE NOTICED THAT THE FMS WAS SHOWING ABOUT 100 NM OFF COURSE (TO THE N) FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. THAT'S WHY INTXN WAS SHOWN TO OUR R AND NOT TO OUR L. AS A CREW; WE COULD HAVE DISPLAYED BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. THE DEP CHART CLEARLY SHOWED INTXN WOULD HAVE BEEN TO OUR L AFTER A TURN TO 170 DEGS. WE RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON THE FMS FOR NAV INFO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

A CRJ200 FMS failed to update after takeoff. A 'dr excess 5 min' annunciated after the crew was unable to navigate to a fix on the route. The FMS was about 100 NM off course.