Large transport flight crew used reciprocal radial to intercept and fly airway. Crew and controller ...

Attributes
ACN	123417
Time
Date	198909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v268
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	123417
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	123525
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to balance via V268 bross intersection, etc. After takeoff, runway 10, departure control cleared us, 'left turn to intersect V268.' we both had the 331 degree right (nwbnd V268) dialed in, instead of the 101 degree right. The controller questioned our direction of flight almost immediately after intersecting the 331 degree right. We then turned back on course to the 101 degree right west/O any conflict (according to the controller). I am fairly new to flying in the northeast and picked out V268 going the wrong direction from balance. I assumed bross intersection was northwest of balance, somewhere off the chart. The captain did not verify the course and copied what I had put into my course window. The incident was due partly, I believe, to the lack of morale and motivation at company a/company B because of how poorly the merger is being handled by company B management. The other reason, I believe, is because of the 2-TIER '(B)' wage scale, making 'B'-scale pilots second class citizens, thereby limiting their motivation at times. It would help, also, if victor arwy routings were kept to a minimum if the flight is filed above FL180. The departure routings could be depicted on the departure procedure page with intxns and radials drawn in instead of having to fumble for low altitude charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLT CREW USED RECIPROCAL RADIAL TO INTERCEPT AND FLY AIRWAY. CREW AND CTLR CAUGHT ERROR AND RESET VOR TO FLY PROPER DIRECTION.

Narrative: CLRED TO BAL VIA V268 BROSS INTERSECTION, ETC. AFTER TKOF, RWY 10, DEP CTL CLRED US, 'LEFT TURN TO INTERSECT V268.' WE BOTH HAD THE 331 DEG R (NWBND V268) DIALED IN, INSTEAD OF THE 101 DEG R. THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR DIRECTION OF FLT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER INTERSECTING THE 331 DEG R. WE THEN TURNED BACK ON COURSE TO THE 101 DEG R W/O ANY CONFLICT (ACCORDING TO THE CTLR). I AM FAIRLY NEW TO FLYING IN THE NE AND PICKED OUT V268 GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION FROM BAL. I ASSUMED BROSS INTXN WAS NW OF BAL, SOMEWHERE OFF THE CHART. THE CAPT DID NOT VERIFY THE COURSE AND COPIED WHAT I HAD PUT INTO MY COURSE WINDOW. THE INCIDENT WAS DUE PARTLY, I BELIEVE, TO THE LACK OF MORALE AND MOTIVATION AT COMPANY A/COMPANY B BECAUSE OF HOW POORLY THE MERGER IS BEING HANDLED BY COMPANY B MGMNT. THE OTHER REASON, I BELIEVE, IS BECAUSE OF THE 2-TIER '(B)' WAGE SCALE, MAKING 'B'-SCALE PLTS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, THEREBY LIMITING THEIR MOTIVATION AT TIMES. IT WOULD HELP, ALSO, IF VICTOR ARWY ROUTINGS WERE KEPT TO A MINIMUM IF THE FLT IS FILED ABOVE FL180. THE DEP ROUTINGS COULD BE DEPICTED ON THE DEP PROC PAGE WITH INTXNS AND RADIALS DRAWN IN INSTEAD OF HAVING TO FUMBLE FOR LOW ALT CHARTS.

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.

Large transport flight crew used reciprocal radial to intercept and fly airway. Crew and controller caught error and reset VOR to fly proper direction.