B727 FLC ON APCH TO ORD INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED DIRECT ORD AT PAPPI FIX. FO WAS PF AND TURNED DIRECT AT STORY; 12 NM EARLY.

Narrative

I WAS THE CAPT ON ACR X. THE FO WAS FLYING. CHICAGO HAD US AT 10000 FT AND INBOUND ON THE PMM4. THE CTLR CLRED US PAPPI DIRECT TO ORD WHEN WE WERE JUST OUTSIDE THE STORY INTXN. AT THAT; THE FO SAID WE ARE THERE AND TURNED THE ACFT DIRECT TO ORD. I REMEMBER BEING A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT WE WERE ALREADY AT PAPPI; BUT I KNEW THAT THE SEGMENT WAS SHORT AND I HAD NOT LOOKED AT THE DME OR GFMS IN A FEW MINS. I HAD BEEN BUSY GETTING SET UP FOR THE ILS RWY 9R. I KNOW THAT FLYING AND NAVING ARE THE PRIMARY JOB; BUT IN 30 YRS OF FLYING I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND A METHOD OF KEEPING THE SMALL JOBS FROM DISTRACTING ME FROM THE BIG JOBS 100% OF THE TIME. I WAS DISTR BY SETTING UP AND IDENTING THE APCH AND DID NOT CATCH THE EARLY UNTIL CHICAGO CALLED AND ASKED WHY WE TURNED FROM STORY INSTEAD OF PAPPI. I WAS ONLY DISTR FOR A SHORT TIME; BUT IT WAS AT A CRITICAL POINT. THE NEXT TIME I LOOKED AT THE VOR WE WERE DIRECT ORD. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT WE WERE TOO FAR E UNTIL CHICAGO CALLED US. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OK IF WE WOULD HAVE LEFT THE ACFT ON THE GFMS. THE PROPER RTE WAS IN THE BOX.