Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	97625
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fnt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	97625
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 other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight from ewr-dtw inbound on V2 to salem. Initially instructed to hold at DME off aylmer, before reaching fix holding instructions changed to hold at descent 086 degree right off salem 60 DME. Prior to reaching descent instructed to hold at gooss 105 degree right 19 DME off flint 116.9 VOR. No heading information was given to intercept radial off flint. I was giving passenger announcement to explain delay to passenger at the time. First officer assumed gooss was off salem VOR on our course. Made initial turn in holding pattern. We were advised by ATC of being south of course and given a heading to reintercept course. We both checked our charts noting holding fix was off fnt and proceeded to hold at proper fix. Flight proceeded to destination normally. ATC did not indicate a problem. I feel a few factors contributed to this situation: 3 different sets of holding instructions were given to us within a short period of time, final holding instructions were given to us at a fix not on our route of flight west/O an indication of such from ATC, and on the hi altitude chart, salem VOR identify box is located directly below flint VOR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: FLT FROM EWR-DTW INBND ON V2 TO SALEM. INITIALLY INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT DME OFF AYLMER, BEFORE REACHING FIX HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS CHANGED TO HOLD AT DSCNT 086 DEG R OFF SALEM 60 DME. PRIOR TO REACHING DSCNT INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT GOOSS 105 DEG R 19 DME OFF FLINT 116.9 VOR. NO HDG INFO WAS GIVEN TO INTERCEPT RADIAL OFF FLINT. I WAS GIVING PAX ANNOUNCEMENT TO EXPLAIN DELAY TO PAX AT THE TIME. F/O ASSUMED GOOSS WAS OFF SALEM VOR ON OUR COURSE. MADE INITIAL TURN IN HOLDING PATTERN. WE WERE ADVISED BY ATC OF BEING S OF COURSE AND GIVEN A HDG TO REINTERCEPT COURSE. WE BOTH CHKED OUR CHARTS NOTING HOLDING FIX WAS OFF FNT AND PROCEEDED TO HOLD AT PROPER FIX. FLT PROCEEDED TO DEST NORMALLY. ATC DID NOT INDICATE A PROB. I FEEL A FEW FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION: 3 DIFFERENT SETS OF HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO US WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, FINAL HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO US AT A FIX NOT ON OUR ROUTE OF FLT W/O AN INDICATION OF SUCH FROM ATC, AND ON THE HI ALT CHART, SALEM VOR IDENT BOX IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW FLINT VOR.

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.