Captain flying commuter off sfo turned to wrong heading.

Attributes
ACN	183417
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 1
ASRS Report	183417
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance 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:

I departed sfo runway 1L for sck. I was PF, PNF was handling communications. We climbed through a thin fog layer and were handed over to departure. Departure then cleared us 'direct oakland, as filed own navigation'. I proceeded to follow the RMI needle and had turned approximately 30 degree when I realized PNF had inadvertently switched navigation frequencys. By the time I had turned back on course, departure was calling for an immediate turn. We were in VFR conditions at the time of the course deviation, and to my knowledge, there was no conflict with other aircraft. Contributing factors. Both PF and PNF had just completed minimal differences training for this type aircraft and were working with unfamiliar radio packages (1 hour chkout). PF not very familiar with sfo area as he does the majority of his flying in southern california. Last leg of 11 hour duty day. In order to correct this situation, PF has contacted a training department instructor and discussed improving training for this aircraft in several respects, particularly in radio and navigation equipment differences.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FLYING COMMUTER OFF SFO TURNED TO WRONG HDG.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SFO RWY 1L FOR SCK. I WAS PF, PNF WAS HANDLING COMS. WE CLBED THROUGH A THIN FOG LAYER AND WERE HANDED OVER TO DEP. DEP THEN CLRED US 'DIRECT OAKLAND, AS FILED OWN NAV'. I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE RMI NEEDLE AND HAD TURNED APPROX 30 DEG WHEN I REALIZED PNF HAD INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED NAV FREQS. BY THE TIME I HAD TURNED BACK ON COURSE, DEP WAS CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE TURN. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE COURSE DEVIATION, AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. BOTH PF AND PNF HAD JUST COMPLETED MINIMAL DIFFERENCES TRAINING FOR THIS TYPE ACFT AND WERE WORKING WITH UNFAMILIAR RADIO PACKAGES (1 HR CHKOUT). PF NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH SFO AREA AS HE DOES THE MAJORITY OF HIS FLYING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. LAST LEG OF 11 HR DUTY DAY. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION, PF HAS CONTACTED A TRAINING DEPT INSTRUCTOR AND DISCUSSED IMPROVING TRAINING FOR THIS ACFT IN SEVERAL RESPECTS, PARTICULARLY IN RADIO AND NAV EQUIP DIFFERENCES.

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.