Flight crew of medium large transport on all night flight inadvertently deviated from course.

Attributes
ACN	120688
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mls
State Reference	MT
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zlc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	120688
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
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While traveling on J204 between gtf and MLS, eastbound, we missed a 13 degree right turn at hilgr intersection. We had mistakenly set in dik VOR, which was in a straight line progress in from gtf. ZLC called and told us we were 50 mi north of MLS instead of over it, then cleared us direct to aberdeen. This was an all night trip from sea to ord, departing sea at night, local.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ON ALL NIGHT FLT INADVERTENTLY DEVIATED FROM COURSE.

Narrative: WHILE TRAVELING ON J204 BTWN GTF AND MLS, EBND, WE MISSED A 13 DEG RIGHT TURN AT HILGR INTXN. WE HAD MISTAKENLY SET IN DIK VOR, WHICH WAS IN A STRAIGHT LINE PROGRESS IN FROM GTF. ZLC CALLED AND TOLD US WE WERE 50 MI N OF MLS INSTEAD OF OVER IT, THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO ABERDEEN. THIS WAS AN ALL NIGHT TRIP FROM SEA TO ORD, DEPARTING SEA AT NIGHT, LCL.

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.