Narrative:

We were cleared direct mqp, direct abi, then via jet route to sat. I dialed in the abi outbnd course (sse) approaching mqp and, just before station passage, turned the approximately 100 degree heading change required to roll out on course. Center asked us to confirm our cleared route of flight, which the first officer read back correctly. As he did I realized I had turned over the wrong VOR and began to turn quickly back toward abi. Center paused, then said, 'fly a 220 degree heading to intercept (the arwy) out of abi.' thanks to center's timely call, we were back direct to abi within 10 mi of over mqp. It had been a grueling day. Dfw-iad-dfw now to iah. Great gobs of thunderstorms, peak of concentration for hour after hour. This was our ninth hour of flying that day and our fifth reroute since leaving dfw (35 mi before) on this leg. My rear end felt like hamburger. When we broke out into my sunshine soon after takeoff, I believe I was so relieved that my concentration faltered. Contributing factors were: our new contract, which allows us to fly over 8 hours, so long as we are not on duty over 14 hours. WX is what usually causes us to overfly our schedule, and is also what turns a long day into a very tiring, grueling affair--a lousy combination. (Extra work when it is hardest.) 2-M crew. This money saving brainstorm results in severe overloading of the remaining 2 pilots in bad WX and during mechanical malfunctions. God forbid they should ever happen together. Safety gets short shrift at company if it costs money. Of course days like this only result in the violation of a pilot, and he pays his own fine, so where is the problem?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATING DURING CLIMB OUT FROM DFW. CAPT STARTED TO TURN OVER THE WRONG VOR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT MQP, DIRECT ABI, THEN VIA JET RTE TO SAT. I DIALED IN THE ABI OUTBND COURSE (SSE) APCHING MQP AND, JUST BEFORE STATION PASSAGE, TURNED THE APPROX 100 DEG HDG CHANGE REQUIRED TO ROLL OUT ON COURSE. CENTER ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR CLRED RTE OF FLT, WHICH THE F/O READ BACK CORRECTLY. AS HE DID I REALIZED I HAD TURNED OVER THE WRONG VOR AND BEGAN TO TURN QUICKLY BACK TOWARD ABI. CENTER PAUSED, THEN SAID, 'FLY A 220 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT (THE ARWY) OUT OF ABI.' THANKS TO CENTER'S TIMELY CALL, WE WERE BACK DIRECT TO ABI WITHIN 10 MI OF OVER MQP. IT HAD BEEN A GRUELING DAY. DFW-IAD-DFW NOW TO IAH. GREAT GOBS OF TSTMS, PEAK OF CONCENTRATION FOR HR AFTER HR. THIS WAS OUR NINTH HR OF FLYING THAT DAY AND OUR FIFTH REROUTE SINCE LEAVING DFW (35 MI BEFORE) ON THIS LEG. MY REAR END FELT LIKE HAMBURGER. WHEN WE BROKE OUT INTO MY SUNSHINE SOON AFTER TKOF, I BELIEVE I WAS SO RELIEVED THAT MY CONCENTRATION FALTERED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: OUR NEW CONTRACT, WHICH ALLOWS US TO FLY OVER 8 HRS, SO LONG AS WE ARE NOT ON DUTY OVER 14 HRS. WX IS WHAT USUALLY CAUSES US TO OVERFLY OUR SCHEDULE, AND IS ALSO WHAT TURNS A LONG DAY INTO A VERY TIRING, GRUELING AFFAIR--A LOUSY COMBINATION. (EXTRA WORK WHEN IT IS HARDEST.) 2-M CREW. THIS MONEY SAVING BRAINSTORM RESULTS IN SEVERE OVERLOADING OF THE REMAINING 2 PLTS IN BAD WX AND DURING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. GOD FORBID THEY SHOULD EVER HAPPEN TOGETHER. SAFETY GETS SHORT SHRIFT AT COMPANY IF IT COSTS MONEY. OF COURSE DAYS LIKE THIS ONLY RESULT IN THE VIOLATION OF A PLT, AND HE PAYS HIS OWN FINE, SO WHERE IS THE PROB?

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.