Narrative:

We were cruising at FL350 on a flight from stl to slc. This was the first time that either the first officer or I had flown this route. Approaching meeker VOR, I looked up the outbound radial for J116. With a small amount of difficulty I determined the outbound radial to be 260 degrees, but noticed that the 270 degree number was much easier to pick out on the chart. I tried to make a mental note not to use the 270 degree number. As we approached the VOR there were 2 distrs that were occurring. The visibility was excellent and the ski slopes caught my attention. Also, the DME was not operating at the VOR, so station passage was not as easy to anticipate as normal. When station passage occurred, I reached down and put the number in the course window that first came to mind. Unfortunately the number was 270 degrees. I had already checked the chart so I felt comfortable not double- checking my outbound radial. The first officer had already put the inbound radial to fairfield VOR, our next fix, into his HSI, so he was unable to detect the fact that I was tracking outbound on the wrong radial. About 2-3 mins past meeker, center told us to turn to a heading of 240 degrees and join J116.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG FAILED TO FOLLOW THE FLT PLAN TRACK DUE TO DIALING IN THE WRONG COURSE.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL350 ON A FLT FROM STL TO SLC. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT EITHER THE FO OR I HAD FLOWN THIS RTE. APCHING MEEKER VOR, I LOOKED UP THE OUTBOUND RADIAL FOR J116. WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF DIFFICULTY I DETERMINED THE OUTBOUND RADIAL TO BE 260 DEGS, BUT NOTICED THAT THE 270 DEG NUMBER WAS MUCH EASIER TO PICK OUT ON THE CHART. I TRIED TO MAKE A MENTAL NOTE NOT TO USE THE 270 DEG NUMBER. AS WE APCHED THE VOR THERE WERE 2 DISTRS THAT WERE OCCURRING. THE VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT AND THE SKI SLOPES CAUGHT MY ATTN. ALSO, THE DME WAS NOT OPERATING AT THE VOR, SO STATION PASSAGE WAS NOT AS EASY TO ANTICIPATE AS NORMAL. WHEN STATION PASSAGE OCCURRED, I REACHED DOWN AND PUT THE NUMBER IN THE COURSE WINDOW THAT FIRST CAME TO MIND. UNFORTUNATELY THE NUMBER WAS 270 DEGS. I HAD ALREADY CHKED THE CHART SO I FELT COMFORTABLE NOT DOUBLE- CHKING MY OUTBOUND RADIAL. THE FO HAD ALREADY PUT THE INBOUND RADIAL TO FAIRFIELD VOR, OUR NEXT FIX, INTO HIS HSI, SO HE WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE FACT THAT I WAS TRACKING OUTBOUND ON THE WRONG RADIAL. ABOUT 2-3 MINS PAST MEEKER, CTR TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 240 DEGS AND JOIN J116.

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.