Air carrier medium large transport deviated from clearance route.

Attributes
ACN	96010
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mol
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j42
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 21000
ASRS Report	96010
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Center controller called for an immediate right turn of 70 degree. Controller said we were 15 mi north of course. It was approximately 1 min from start of right turn until we had full scale deflection of VOR needle to right of J42 centerline. With full scale deflection on HSI (to right) needle, controller advised we were on course. Subsequent controllers agreed that #1 VOR receiver was in error in varying amounts. Checking 2 VOR receivers together showed an error, but within limits. Could both VOR receivers have had an error in the same direction, and could the VOR itself had an error along with washington center radar?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative: CTR CTLR CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE R TURN OF 70 DEG. CTLR SAID WE WERE 15 MI N OF COURSE. IT WAS APPROX 1 MIN FROM START OF R TURN UNTIL WE HAD FULL SCALE DEFLECTION OF VOR NEEDLE TO RIGHT OF J42 CENTERLINE. WITH FULL SCALE DEFLECTION ON HSI (TO RIGHT) NEEDLE, CTLR ADVISED WE WERE ON COURSE. SUBSEQUENT CTLRS AGREED THAT #1 VOR RECEIVER WAS IN ERROR IN VARYING AMOUNTS. CHKING 2 VOR RECEIVERS TOGETHER SHOWED AN ERROR, BUT WITHIN LIMITS. COULD BOTH VOR RECEIVERS HAVE HAD AN ERROR IN THE SAME DIRECTION, AND COULD THE VOR ITSELF HAD AN ERROR ALONG WITH WASHINGTON CTR RADAR?

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.