Narrative:

I have over 9 yrs of military aviation experience, however this was my first trip west.O the supervision of a company instrument. Being new to the aircraft and hectic civil aviation environment, I was trying to get ahead of the game. I copied the clearance, and since radar vectors were anticipated, I set up the navigation radios to spa. On takeoff while climbing runway heading to 5000', I made the initial contact to departure control on the wrong frequency. After contacting ATC on the right frequency, we were given a heading of approximately 290 degrees to intercept the 270 degree right. I immediately dialed up the 270 degree right as the captain turned to the heading and intercepted the course. Departure controller called us up to verify our heading, and I told him we were on the radial. Shortly thereafter the controller called us up and issued timely avoidance vectors from a company aircraft. The captain initiated the turn, observed the other aircraft and stated that we came rather close. At that point in time, I finally put 2 and 2 together and realized our navigation error. We were in fact on the 090 degree right to spa, not the 270 degree right off clt. Thanks to the controller's persistence, we avoided a potential disaster. As an aviator, this situation simply reinforces need to listen closely to instructions and to properly tune, identify and monitor the right NAVAID.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION OCCURS WITH ACR ON DEP AS FLT CREW FAILS TO IDENTIFY NAVIGATION AID IN USE.

Narrative: I HAVE OVER 9 YRS OF MIL AVIATION EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP W.O THE SUPERVISION OF A COMPANY INSTR. BEING NEW TO THE ACFT AND HECTIC CIVIL AVIATION ENVIRONMENT, I WAS TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME. I COPIED THE CLRNC, AND SINCE RADAR VECTORS WERE ANTICIPATED, I SET UP THE NAV RADIOS TO SPA. ON TKOF WHILE CLBING RWY HDG TO 5000', I MADE THE INITIAL CONTACT TO DEP CTL ON THE WRONG FREQ. AFTER CONTACTING ATC ON THE RIGHT FREQ, WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF APPROX 290 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 270 DEG R. I IMMEDIATELY DIALED UP THE 270 DEG R AS THE CAPT TURNED TO THE HDG AND INTERCEPTED THE COURSE. DEP CTLR CALLED US UP TO VERIFY OUR HDG, AND I TOLD HIM WE WERE ON THE RADIAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR CALLED US UP AND ISSUED TIMELY AVOIDANCE VECTORS FROM A COMPANY ACFT. THE CAPT INITIATED THE TURN, OBSERVED THE OTHER ACFT AND STATED THAT WE CAME RATHER CLOSE. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I FINALLY PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER AND REALIZED OUR NAV ERROR. WE WERE IN FACT ON THE 090 DEG R TO SPA, NOT THE 270 DEG R OFF CLT. THANKS TO THE CTLR'S PERSISTENCE, WE AVOIDED A POTENTIAL DISASTER. AS AN AVIATOR, THIS SITUATION SIMPLY REINFORCES NEED TO LISTEN CLOSELY TO INSTRUCTIONS AND TO PROPERLY TUNE, IDENT AND MONITOR THE RIGHT NAVAID.

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.