Small aircraft pilot mistunes vors resulting in navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	309340
Time
Date	199506
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cfb
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bgm
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	309340
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
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	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from alb to jhw on V72 I set my #2 VOR to uca VOR to identify sumit intersection. Distracted by cockpit duties, I forgot #2 was set to uca (frequency 111.2). When time came to switch to cfb VOR (112.2), I thought #2 was already set due to similarity of frequencys and when I switched #1 frequency changed it to uca instead of cfb. Tuning in the inbound course it appeared. I was well off course to the south, so I put in a 40 degree correction angle to the north. Both radios were in agreement, but I was navigating to the wrong station, because I had not tuned and idented the proper station. My correction did not bring me back to my selected course and I was entering a 'confused state of mind.' when binghampton approach told me I was well off the airway to the north and to start direct to elmira upon receiving, I wondered why I was off to the north and at that point discovered the wrong frequencys had been selected on both radios.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT MISTUNES VORS RESULTING IN NAV ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ALB TO JHW ON V72 I SET MY #2 VOR TO UCA VOR TO IDENT SUMIT INTXN. DISTRACTED BY COCKPIT DUTIES, I FORGOT #2 WAS SET TO UCA (FREQ 111.2). WHEN TIME CAME TO SWITCH TO CFB VOR (112.2), I THOUGHT #2 WAS ALREADY SET DUE TO SIMILARITY OF FREQS AND WHEN I SWITCHED #1 FREQ CHANGED IT TO UCA INSTEAD OF CFB. TUNING IN THE INBOUND COURSE IT APPEARED. I WAS WELL OFF COURSE TO THE S, SO I PUT IN A 40 DEG CORRECTION ANGLE TO THE N. BOTH RADIOS WERE IN AGREEMENT, BUT I WAS NAVING TO THE WRONG STATION, BECAUSE I HAD NOT TUNED AND IDENTED THE PROPER STATION. MY CORRECTION DID NOT BRING ME BACK TO MY SELECTED COURSE AND I WAS ENTERING A 'CONFUSED STATE OF MIND.' WHEN BINGHAMPTON APCH TOLD ME I WAS WELL OFF THE AIRWAY TO THE N AND TO START DIRECT TO ELMIRA UPON RECEIVING, I WONDERED WHY I WAS OFF TO THE N AND AT THAT POINT DISCOVERED THE WRONG FREQS HAD BEEN SELECTED ON BOTH RADIOS.

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.