An medium large transport air carrier flight crew set up and followed the wrong course. The first officer (PF) set up the new VOR frequency, but continued to follow the jet airway routing from the previously assigned VOR. The captain had set up the next routing and as a result did not notice the deviation. ARTCC radar controller intervention.

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Attributes
ACN	333650
Time
Date	199604
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hvq
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	333650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Center controller cleared us direct to ldn VOR then on course. On course radial after ldn was the 275 degree radial to join J6. Prior to ldn we were cleared direct hvq VOR. Then we were given a vector heading off course for traffic. Later when we were about 10 mi from the VOR, we were cleared direct hvq, J6 on course. The PF looked at the chart and focused on ldn VOR instead of hvq VOR and began flying the 275 degree radial instead of the 254 degree radial. Shortly afterward center began asking what our heading was and we realized our error as the center controller gave us a heading back to course. I believe the fixation on the 275 degree radial was because that had been set in the first officer's course selector window earlier in the scenario and not changed to the 254 degree radial when the vectoring started. To add to the confusion I had set up my navigation radios for the next planned VOR and route and so my navaids did not show the deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR FLC SET UP AND FOLLOWED THE WRONG COURSE. THE FO (PF) SET UP THE NEW VOR FREQ, BUT CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE JET AIRWAY ROUTING FROM THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED VOR. THE CAPT HAD SET UP THE NEXT ROUTING AND AS A RESULT DID NOT NOTICE THE DEV. ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENTION.

Narrative: CTR CTLR CLRED US DIRECT TO LDN VOR THEN ON COURSE. ON COURSE RADIAL AFTER LDN WAS THE 275 DEG RADIAL TO JOIN J6. PRIOR TO LDN WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HVQ VOR. THEN WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR HDG OFF COURSE FOR TFC. LATER WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE VOR, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HVQ, J6 ON COURSE. THE PF LOOKED AT THE CHART AND FOCUSED ON LDN VOR INSTEAD OF HVQ VOR AND BEGAN FLYING THE 275 DEG RADIAL INSTEAD OF THE 254 DEG RADIAL. SHORTLY AFTERWARD CTR BEGAN ASKING WHAT OUR HDG WAS AND WE REALIZED OUR ERROR AS THE CTR CTLR GAVE US A HDG BACK TO COURSE. I BELIEVE THE FIXATION ON THE 275 DEG RADIAL WAS BECAUSE THAT HAD BEEN SET IN THE FO'S COURSE SELECTOR WINDOW EARLIER IN THE SCENARIO AND NOT CHANGED TO THE 254 DEG RADIAL WHEN THE VECTORING STARTED. TO ADD TO THE CONFUSION I HAD SET UP MY NAV RADIOS FOR THE NEXT PLANNED VOR AND RTE AND SO MY NAVAIDS DID NOT SHOW THE DEV.

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.