Large transport strays 10 miles north of a jet airway.

Attributes
ACN	99174
Time
Date	198811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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
Route In Use	enroute airway : j30
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	99174
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

While eastbound on J30 with forecast winds of 240 degree at 134 KTS and holding centerline with about 35 degree of crab angle, center asked what route we were on. We said J30 and center said we were 7 mi north of centerline. We advised we were on centerline with 35 degree of crab and that the needle was starting to waver. Center said this area was a problem and gave us a 5 degree right turn and direct esl (110.8) when able. I suggest a change in the esl power and/or some other remedy because esl is too weak to track and ape never seems too reliable when tracking to bucko on J30 to iad and dca airports. This has been a problem since the new east coast revision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT STRAYS 10 MILES NORTH OF A JET AIRWAY.

Narrative: WHILE EBND ON J30 WITH FORECAST WINDS OF 240 DEG AT 134 KTS AND HOLDING CENTERLINE WITH ABOUT 35 DEG OF CRAB ANGLE, CENTER ASKED WHAT ROUTE WE WERE ON. WE SAID J30 AND CENTER SAID WE WERE 7 MI N OF CENTERLINE. WE ADVISED WE WERE ON CENTERLINE WITH 35 DEG OF CRAB AND THAT THE NEEDLE WAS STARTING TO WAVER. CENTER SAID THIS AREA WAS A PROBLEM AND GAVE US A 5 DEG RIGHT TURN AND DIRECT ESL (110.8) WHEN ABLE. I SUGGEST A CHANGE IN THE ESL POWER AND/OR SOME OTHER REMEDY BECAUSE ESL IS TOO WEAK TO TRACK AND APE NEVER SEEMS TOO RELIABLE WHEN TRACKING TO BUCKO ON J30 TO IAD AND DCA ARPTS. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE NEW EAST COAST REVISION.

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.