Narrative:

Normally (90 percent) of the time, I fly koa hnl. Today was put on the koa-066 segment. Clearance reads V1 maken CAMPS1 066. Before taxi, dialed in V1 on both captain's and first officer's vors -- koa 312 radial. On taxi out, received clearance to 066 via V5 maken -- which is actually a more direct route. I reached up and changed vors to the 297 degree (actually V20 to hnl) radial off koa -- the first thing that came to my mind (victor 5 is actually the 327 radial) as a more direct route. After takeoff from runway 35 began a turn to the left to join the 297 degree radial. Center gave us a 340 degree heading for traffic (not yet in center's radar coverage). We had inbound traffic to our left in sight and when clear were cleared on course. Began a slow turn to the left. At approximately 7000 ft center came back and asked us our heading, then asked if we were able to navigation direct to 066, which we did. Just before center called to ask our heading, the first officer began checking his map for the course. I know V5 is the 327 degree radial. I've been flying in the hawaiian islands for yrs and am surprised by such a stupid mistake. We were lucky -- the center controller was extra nice. Contributing to this was receiving the change in clearance on taxi out, even though I was busy taxiing, I should have asked the first officer to doublechk the course. Just as we use checklists in the airplane even though we've done the procedures (PF, taxi, takeoff, etc) thousands of times, we should be checking the rtes assigned -- no matter how many times we've flown them! Murphy's law is always waiting -- if I set in the wrong course, guaranteed the other pilot won't notice!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG TOOK UP WRONG HDG AFTER TKOF AT KOA.

Narrative: NORMALLY (90 PERCENT) OF THE TIME, I FLY KOA HNL. TODAY WAS PUT ON THE KOA-066 SEGMENT. CLRNC READS V1 MAKEN CAMPS1 066. BEFORE TAXI, DIALED IN V1 ON BOTH CAPT'S AND FO'S VORS -- KOA 312 RADIAL. ON TAXI OUT, RECEIVED CLRNC TO 066 VIA V5 MAKEN -- WHICH IS ACTUALLY A MORE DIRECT RTE. I REACHED UP AND CHANGED VORS TO THE 297 DEG (ACTUALLY V20 TO HNL) RADIAL OFF KOA -- THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND (VICTOR 5 IS ACTUALLY THE 327 RADIAL) AS A MORE DIRECT RTE. AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 35 BEGAN A TURN TO THE L TO JOIN THE 297 DEG RADIAL. CENTER GAVE US A 340 DEG HDG FOR TFC (NOT YET IN CENTER'S RADAR COVERAGE). WE HAD INBOUND TFC TO OUR L IN SIGHT AND WHEN CLR WERE CLRED ON COURSE. BEGAN A SLOW TURN TO THE L. AT APPROX 7000 FT CENTER CAME BACK AND ASKED US OUR HDG, THEN ASKED IF WE WERE ABLE TO NAV DIRECT TO 066, WHICH WE DID. JUST BEFORE CENTER CALLED TO ASK OUR HDG, THE FO BEGAN CHKING HIS MAP FOR THE COURSE. I KNOW V5 IS THE 327 DEG RADIAL. I'VE BEEN FLYING IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FOR YRS AND AM SURPRISED BY SUCH A STUPID MISTAKE. WE WERE LUCKY -- THE CENTER CTLR WAS EXTRA NICE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WAS RECEIVING THE CHANGE IN CLRNC ON TAXI OUT, EVEN THOUGH I WAS BUSY TAXIING, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE FO TO DOUBLECHK THE COURSE. JUST AS WE USE CHKLISTS IN THE AIRPLANE EVEN THOUGH WE'VE DONE THE PROCS (PF, TAXI, TKOF, ETC) THOUSANDS OF TIMES, WE SHOULD BE CHKING THE RTES ASSIGNED -- NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE FLOWN THEM! MURPHY'S LAW IS ALWAYS WAITING -- IF I SET IN THE WRONG COURSE, GUARANTEED THE OTHER PLT WON'T NOTICE!

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.