Narrative:

After takeoff phl departure handed us off to ZNY. We were en route from ttn to msp. We were cleared direct to ptw VOR at 10000 ft. Our route was then to be ptw 320 degree radial, J64 raj. The after takeoff and 10000 ft checklist was completed, and we were commenting on how good the visibility was after leaving the fog in ttn. We were both scanning for traffic when I pointed out a 747 at about 10 O'clock low, a few mi away. I said to the captain that I was surprised no one called out the traffic to us, which was directly followed by a call from center for us to turn right hard to 360 degrees. It seems we went right past ptw and missed our turn to the 320 degree radial. The captain was navigating with the VLF, I had raj VOR tuned for the next leg. The flight director was in heading mode, so the captain HSI stayed centered. That, and the great visibility which kept us looking outside, conspired to cause the incident. Instead of both pilots looking around outside, we should have been paying attention to navigating as well. Supplemental information from acn 299388: co-captain selected VLF on my side without my noticing. I was navigating off flight director thinking we were receiving VOR information, while in reality it was in VLF mode. One pilot shouldn't make selection without other pilot's knowledge. Captain should keep more alert.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IS DISTRACTED WHICH RESULTS IN THEIR FLYING BY A VOR THAT MARKS THEIR TURNING POINT TO BE ON COURSE.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF PHL DEP HANDED US OFF TO ZNY. WE WERE ENRTE FROM TTN TO MSP. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO PTW VOR AT 10000 FT. OUR RTE WAS THEN TO BE PTW 320 DEG RADIAL, J64 RAJ. THE AFTER TKOF AND 10000 FT CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, AND WE WERE COMMENTING ON HOW GOOD THE VISIBILITY WAS AFTER LEAVING THE FOG IN TTN. WE WERE BOTH SCANNING FOR TFC WHEN I POINTED OUT A 747 AT ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK LOW, A FEW MI AWAY. I SAID TO THE CAPT THAT I WAS SURPRISED NO ONE CALLED OUT THE TFC TO US, WHICH WAS DIRECTLY FOLLOWED BY A CALL FROM CTR FOR US TO TURN R HARD TO 360 DEGS. IT SEEMS WE WENT RIGHT PAST PTW AND MISSED OUR TURN TO THE 320 DEG RADIAL. THE CAPT WAS NAVING WITH THE VLF, I HAD RAJ VOR TUNED FOR THE NEXT LEG. THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS IN HDG MODE, SO THE CAPT HSI STAYED CTRED. THAT, AND THE GREAT VISIBILITY WHICH KEPT US LOOKING OUTSIDE, CONSPIRED TO CAUSE THE INCIDENT. INSTEAD OF BOTH PLTS LOOKING AROUND OUTSIDE, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTN TO NAVING AS WELL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 299388: CO-CAPT SELECTED VLF ON MY SIDE WITHOUT MY NOTICING. I WAS NAVING OFF FLT DIRECTOR THINKING WE WERE RECEIVING VOR INFO, WHILE IN REALITY IT WAS IN VLF MODE. ONE PLT SHOULDN'T MAKE SELECTION WITHOUT OTHER PLT'S KNOWLEDGE. CAPT SHOULD KEEP MORE ALERT.

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.