VOR frequency changed. Flight crew not aware. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	152602
Time
Date	199007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : grb
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	152602
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

En route from detroit, mi to green bay, wi just north of grand rapids, mi, I was cleared direct green bay. I tuned in the grb VOR as listed on the chart and turned about 20-30 degrees left to center the needle. The signal gave no flags, but I did not get a good identify. About 1-2 mins later ATC came on and said that the grb VOR was now 115.5 and dll was the old grb frequency and it had been that way all month. We went to grb and nothing more was said. I checked my WX release package to figure how this got by me. There was nothing under either grb or dtw NOTAMS about a frequency change. I found it down below en route WX listed as en route NOTAMS. This is a change and I did not know it and was not looking for it. Our operations manual does not show this new format yet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VOR FREQ CHANGED. FLT CREW NOT AWARE. HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM DETROIT, MI TO GREEN BAY, WI JUST N OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI, I WAS CLRED DIRECT GREEN BAY. I TUNED IN THE GRB VOR AS LISTED ON THE CHART AND TURNED ABOUT 20-30 DEGS LEFT TO CENTER THE NEEDLE. THE SIGNAL GAVE NO FLAGS, BUT I DID NOT GET A GOOD IDENT. ABOUT 1-2 MINS LATER ATC CAME ON AND SAID THAT THE GRB VOR WAS NOW 115.5 AND DLL WAS THE OLD GRB FREQ AND IT HAD BEEN THAT WAY ALL MONTH. WE WENT TO GRB AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID. I CHKED MY WX RELEASE PACKAGE TO FIGURE HOW THIS GOT BY ME. THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER EITHER GRB OR DTW NOTAMS ABOUT A FREQ CHANGE. I FOUND IT DOWN BELOW ENRTE WX LISTED AS ENRTE NOTAMS. THIS IS A CHANGE AND I DID NOT KNOW IT AND WAS NOT LOOKING FOR IT. OUR OPS MANUAL DOES NOT SHOW THIS NEW FORMAT YET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.