Narrative:

While flying a regularly scheduled flight from atl to chicago at FL350 we were cleared to cross 105 DME south of boiler at FL310. We read back the clearance and made the usual preparations for complying with the clearance. As the PF, I planned to start down at 125 DME south. While cruising at what we believed was about 175 mi out, ZID asked us if we were going to be able to make the restriction ok. We responded yes, wondering what prompted him to ask. Shortly after that exchange, the same controller informed us that it appeared to him that we were at 105 DME, and asked if that corresponded with our information. The captain responded no and said that we would double-check. Center instructed us to begin descent. Upon checking all of our charts, it appeared that they were current and that we were tracking to the boiler VORTAC. In reality, we had been tracking to the oxi VORTAC, which was operating on boiler's old frequency. Oxi is 50 NM nne of boiler. The captain said that there was nothing in our NOTAMS telling us of the frequency change. The next controller finally told us that the new boiler frequency was 115.1 and cleared us direct to it. As far as we know, there was no traffic conflict of any kind as a result of this incident. As I see it, there were a few actions which, if accomplished, would probably have ensured us of making the crossing restriction. 1) if we had been given the NOTAM. 2) if we had checked the morse code identify at the station. 3) if the controller had noticed that we were tracking to the wrong fix, and that we were not going to make the crossing restriction. Why didn't he say something? Even when he told us that we were at 105 DME south of boiler, he still didn't say anything about the new frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW USES OLD FREQ AND TRACKS TOWARD WRONG VORTAC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING A REGULARLY SCHEDULED FLT FROM ATL TO CHICAGO AT FL350 WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 105 DME S OF BOILER AT FL310. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND MADE THE USUAL PREPARATIONS FOR COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC. AS THE PF, I PLANNED TO START DOWN AT 125 DME S. WHILE CRUISING AT WHAT WE BELIEVED WAS ABOUT 175 MI OUT, ZID ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RESTRICTION OK. WE RESPONDED YES, WONDERING WHAT PROMPTED HIM TO ASK. SHORTLY AFTER THAT EXCHANGE, THE SAME CTLR INFORMED US THAT IT APPEARED TO HIM THAT WE WERE AT 105 DME, AND ASKED IF THAT CORRESPONDED WITH OUR INFO. THE CAPT RESPONDED NO AND SAID THAT WE WOULD DOUBLE-CHK. CENTER INSTRUCTED US TO BEGIN DSNT. UPON CHKING ALL OF OUR CHARTS, IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE CURRENT AND THAT WE WERE TRACKING TO THE BOILER VORTAC. IN REALITY, WE HAD BEEN TRACKING TO THE OXI VORTAC, WHICH WAS OPERATING ON BOILER'S OLD FREQ. OXI IS 50 NM NNE OF BOILER. THE CAPT SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN OUR NOTAMS TELLING US OF THE FREQ CHANGE. THE NEXT CTLR FINALLY TOLD US THAT THE NEW BOILER FREQ WAS 115.1 AND CLRED US DIRECT TO IT. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT OF ANY KIND AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. AS I SEE IT, THERE WERE A FEW ACTIONS WHICH, IF ACCOMPLISHED, WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ENSURED US OF MAKING THE XING RESTRICTION. 1) IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE NOTAM. 2) IF WE HAD CHKED THE MORSE CODE IDENT AT THE STATION. 3) IF THE CTLR HAD NOTICED THAT WE WERE TRACKING TO THE WRONG FIX, AND THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE XING RESTRICTION. WHY DIDN'T HE SAY SOMETHING? EVEN WHEN HE TOLD US THAT WE WERE AT 105 DME S OF BOILER, HE STILL DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE NEW FREQ.

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.