Narrative:

Was cleared direct iiu direct ckb V35.... Over iiu tuned in 112.6 ckb and proceeded direct then proceeded out 050 degree radial. ZID questioned our position and said we were not proceeding direct ckb 112.6 as cleared. We said we showed on centerline 050 degree radial of 112.6 ckb. Center said we were on 050 degree radial of 112.6 lex. We received vector to ckb at that time. The problem was that when cleared direct ckb 112.6 when over iiu, pilot cannot pick up ckb 112.6 but can receive lex 112.6, which is in the same general direction. No traffic conflict. What caused the problem: we read 112.6 ckb off the computer flight plan and tuned it in and received bearing and distance and assumed all was ok. If we had checked low altitude chart we would have realized we were too far from ckb to receive it. Recommendation: it would help if center didn't clear us direct to a VOR too far away to receive when we would overfly a VOR with the same frequency en route to the VOR cleared to. Supplemental information from acn 221692: our aircraft is not RNAV equipped so we assumed we were headed for ckb. Solutions: tune and identify stations (I did not identify the VORTAC with morse code identifier). Center should never issue such a clearance to a fix or NAVAID when another NAVAID with the same frequency lies within range or closer to cleared to NAVAID.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR IN HIGH ALT STRUCTURE GETS CLRED TO VORTAC WITH SAME FREQ AS A CLOSER VORTAC IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION. ACFT OFF COURSE.

Narrative: WAS CLRED DIRECT IIU DIRECT CKB V35.... OVER IIU TUNED IN 112.6 CKB AND PROCEEDED DIRECT THEN PROCEEDED OUT 050 DEG RADIAL. ZID QUESTIONED OUR POS AND SAID WE WERE NOT PROCEEDING DIRECT CKB 112.6 AS CLRED. WE SAID WE SHOWED ON CTRLINE 050 DEG RADIAL OF 112.6 CKB. CTR SAID WE WERE ON 050 DEG RADIAL OF 112.6 LEX. WE RECEIVED VECTOR TO CKB AT THAT TIME. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WHEN CLRED DIRECT CKB 112.6 WHEN OVER IIU, PLT CANNOT PICK UP CKB 112.6 BUT CAN RECEIVE LEX 112.6, WHICH IS IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION. NO TFC CONFLICT. WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM: WE READ 112.6 CKB OFF THE COMPUTER FLT PLAN AND TUNED IT IN AND RECEIVED BEARING AND DISTANCE AND ASSUMED ALL WAS OK. IF WE HAD CHKED LOW ALT CHART WE WOULD HAVE REALIZED WE WERE TOO FAR FROM CKB TO RECEIVE IT. RECOMMENDATION: IT WOULD HELP IF CTR DIDN'T CLR US DIRECT TO A VOR TOO FAR AWAY TO RECEIVE WHEN WE WOULD OVERFLY A VOR WITH THE SAME FREQ ENRTE TO THE VOR CLRED TO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 221692: OUR ACFT IS NOT RNAV EQUIPPED SO WE ASSUMED WE WERE HEADED FOR CKB. SOLUTIONS: TUNE AND IDENT STATIONS (I DID NOT IDENT THE VORTAC WITH MORSE CODE IDENTIFIER). CTR SHOULD NEVER ISSUE SUCH A CLRNC TO A FIX OR NAVAID WHEN ANOTHER NAVAID WITH THE SAME FREQ LIES WITHIN RANGE OR CLOSER TO CLRED TO NAVAID.

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.