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''KAL 007, a Boeing 747 carrying 269 passengers and crew,  was shot down by the [[Soviet]]s on Sept. 1, 1983, just west of [[Sakhalin Island]], after having entered twice into Soviet [[airspace]] due to a navigational error <ref>ICAO '93,Conclusions, 3.18, pg.59</ref>. This is the a summarizing of  the International Civil Aviation Organization's analysis and  presentation of that error.''  

''KAL 007, a Boeing 747 carrying 269 passengers and crew,  was shot down by the [[Soviet]]s on Sept. 1, 1983, just west of [[Sakhalin Island]], after having entered twice into Soviet [[airspace]] due to a navigational error <ref>ICAO '93,Conclusions, 3.18, pg.59</ref>. This is the a summarizing of  the International Civil Aviation Organization's analysis and  presentation of that error.''  

Transoceanic passenger planes, such as KAL 007, use a number of [[navigational aids]], the primary one at the time being the [[Inertial Navigation System]] (INS).  The INS employs navigational "landmarks" called "[[way point]]s." Up to nine waypoint co-ordinates are inserted into the three electrically linked INS units (one in front of the Pilot, one in front of the Co-pilot and one a "hot spare). The first two waypoints (after Anchorage) on KAL 007's flight from Anchorage to Seoul were Cairn Mountain (28 minutes into the flight) and Bethel (50 minutes into the flight).  Along the route is a range of permissible deviation from the planned route termed the "Desired Track Capture Envelope."  As long as the flight stays within this envelope, the autopilot can be captured and controlled by the INS when the pilot switches from Magnetic Heading to INS, and the plane can be brought back on track if it has strayed.

Transoceanic passenger planes, such as KAL 007, use a number of [[navigational aids]], the primary one at the time being the [[Inertial Navigation System]] (INS).  The INS employs navigational "landmarks" called "[[way point]]s." Up to nine way point co-ordinates are inserted into the three electrically linked INS units (one in front of the Pilot, one in front of the Co-pilot and one a "hot spare). The first two way points (after Anchorage) on KAL 007's flight from Anchorage to Seoul were Cairn Mountain (28 minutes into the flight) and Bethel (50 minutes into the flight).  Along the route is a range of permissible deviation from the planned route termed the "Desired Track Capture Envelope."  As long as the flight stays within this envelope, the autopilot can be captured and controlled by the INS when the pilot switches from Magnetic Heading to INS, and the plane can be brought back on track if it has strayed.

The plane was put on [[autopilot]] shortly after take-off and the "NAV Mode" set to "Magnetic Heading" (determined by the [[magnetic North Pole]] in northeast Canada, some 1,300 miles from true north).  The plane began to deviate from its planned course about ten minutes into the flight and while navigated in Magnetic Heading mode.  No reason is given in the ICAO report for this. The pilots were to switch the mode from Heading to INS prior to leaving the last U.S. continental waypont - which was Bethel at the tip of Alaska. But the INS did not successfully engage the autopilot.*  

The plane was put on [[autopilot]] shortly after take-off and the "NAV Mode" set to "Magnetic Heading" (determined by the [[magnetic North Pole]] in northeast Canada, some 1,300 miles from true north).  The plane began to deviate from its planned course about ten minutes into the flight and while navigated in Magnetic Heading mode.  No reason is given in the ICAO report for this. The pilots were to switch the mode from Heading to INS prior to leaving the last U.S. continental way point - which was Bethel at the tip of Alaska. But the INS did not successfully engage the autopilot.*  

There are two possible reasons why the INS had not captured the autopilot <ref>ICAO '93. conclusions, 3.11, pg. 59</ref>

There are two possible reasons why the INS had not captured the autopilot <ref>ICAO '93. conclusions, 3.11, pg. 59</ref>

Normally, aircraft departing Anchorage for the Far East would be "tracking out", that is, using the Anchorage VOR radial for navigation along the desired track.  Knowing that the Anchorage VOR was out should have increased the pilots' sense of the importance of verifying their position by using the radial from the VOR(TAC) at the next (and last) continental navigation station--the "gateway" station at the small fishing village of Bethel, Alaska.

Normally, aircraft departing Anchorage for the Far East would be "tracking out", that is, using the Anchorage VOR radial for navigation along the desired track.  Knowing that the Anchorage VOR was out should have increased the pilots' sense of the importance of verifying their position by using the radial from the VOR(TAC) at the next (and last) continental navigation station--the "gateway" station at the small fishing village of Bethel, Alaska.

By the time flight 007 reached way point Bethel, it was 12.6 NM off course<ref>ICAO '93, 2.6.1, pg. 43</ref>.  Continuing on its magnetic north heading, rather than the desired tracked set by its Inertial Navigation System (INS), KAL 007 would continue its deviation -- 60 nautical miles (NM) off course at waypoint NABIE, 100 NM at waypoint NUKKS, and 160 NM at waypoin NEEVA -- until it would enter Soviet territory just north of Petropavlovsk on the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]] and then into harm's way over Sakhalin Island.

By the time flight 007 reached way point Bethel, it was 12.6 NM off course<ref>ICAO '93, 2.6.1, pg. 43</ref>.  Continuing on its magnetic north heading, rather than the desired tracked set by its Inertial Navigation System (INS), KAL 007 would continue its deviation -- 60 nautical miles (NM) off course at way point NABIE, 100 NM at way point NUKKS, and 160 NM at waypoin NEEVA -- until it would enter Soviet territory just north of Petropavlovsk on the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]] and then into harm's way over Sakhalin Island.

At 49 minutes after take-off, the pilot was reporting to be on course and at Bethel, "007, Bethel at forty-niner." But, in reality, they were far off course.  For at 50 minutes after take-off, U.S. Air Force radar at King Salmon, Alaska had tracked KAL 007 at a full 12.6 nautical miles north of where it should have been (Bethel)--exceeding by more than six times, its permissible "leeway" drift from the course set by the INS.

At 49 minutes after take-off, the pilot was reporting to be on course and at Bethel, "007, Bethel at forty-niner." But, in reality, they were far off course.  For at 50 minutes after take-off, U.S. Air Force radar at King Salmon, Alaska had tracked KAL 007 at a full 12.6 nautical miles north of where it should have been (Bethel)--exceeding by more than six times, its permissible "leeway" drift from the course set by the INS.