Air carrier large transport deviated from clearance route heading south on AR7.

Attributes
ACN	94021
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : diw
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : ar7 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16560 flight time type : 8640
ASRS Report	94021
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were navigating AR7 south. Center asked if we were correcting back to the airway. The tail of the ADF needle was swinging back and forth +/- 5 degree more or less on the airway radial. We told center we showed on the airway. The controller said, 'no sir, you're not even close; turn left heading 175 degree, intercept AR1 for the blufi arrival fll.' we were then able to use our vors to intercept the airway as we got close to florida. Single ADF navigation should be banned, especially for airway/route navigation. The technology to eliminate this hazard to flight is plentiful and inexpensive.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE HEADING SOUTH ON AR7.

Narrative: WE WERE NAVIGATING AR7 S. CENTER ASKED IF WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO THE AIRWAY. THE TAIL OF THE ADF NEEDLE WAS SWINGING BACK AND FORTH +/- 5 DEG MORE OR LESS ON THE AIRWAY RADIAL. WE TOLD CENTER WE SHOWED ON THE AIRWAY. THE CTLR SAID, 'NO SIR, YOU'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE; TURN L HDG 175 DEG, INTERCEPT AR1 FOR THE BLUFI ARR FLL.' WE WERE THEN ABLE TO USE OUR VORS TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY AS WE GOT CLOSE TO FLORIDA. SINGLE ADF NAV SHOULD BE BANNED, ESPECIALLY FOR AIRWAY/ROUTE NAV. THE TECHNOLOGY TO ELIMINATE THIS HAZARD TO FLT IS PLENTIFUL AND INEXPENSIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.