Narrative:

Aircraft was taxied out to runway 36 at dca. Approaching the runway, a 20 min delay was posted by the tower. Aircraft was positioned out of the way and engines were shut down. Subsequently, the delay was extended and called 'indefinite.' at about XX15 local, the tower called and announced 'start 'em up, you're released.' engines were started and checklists hurriedly accomplished. The takeoff took place less than 5 mins from engine start. Both pilots were rushed and task saturated. After flying the departure and leveling at 5000 ft, it was noted that dca and ground control were being monitored and departure control had not been contacted. Upon checking in with the departure controller, an immediate 180 degree turn was initiated. The controller, in a fairly excited voice, said to make it a tight turn to avoid traffic. Subsequent turns back to the east were ordered and the departure controller handed us off to ZNY with the clearance to intercept the armel 091 degree radial. All was well until the center controller reported that we were south of course. A vector to return to course was given. Both pilots were confused about the location of the flight until it was discovered that the wrong VOR frequency had been set. Upon correcting that mistake it was apparent that the flight was well south of course. Due to the rushed start, takeoff and departure, both pilots were task saturated and behind the aircraft on this particular flight. 2 incorrect frequencys were set, resulting in the flight being off course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC HAS DELAY AT END OF RWY WITH ENGS SHUT DOWN. THEY LATER RECEIVE A HURRY UP RELEASE. THEY DISCOVER LATER THAT THEY HAVE THE WRONG COM FREQ AND HAVE TUNED THE WRONG VOR RESULTING IN A HDG DEV. WHEN CONTACTING DEP CTLR THEY RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE VECTOR TO GET ON TRACK.

Narrative: ACFT WAS TAXIED OUT TO RWY 36 AT DCA. APCHING THE RWY, A 20 MIN DELAY WAS POSTED BY THE TWR. ACFT WAS POSITIONED OUT OF THE WAY AND ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DELAY WAS EXTENDED AND CALLED 'INDEFINITE.' AT ABOUT XX15 LCL, THE TWR CALLED AND ANNOUNCED 'START 'EM UP, YOU'RE RELEASED.' ENGS WERE STARTED AND CHKLISTS HURRIEDLY ACCOMPLISHED. THE TKOF TOOK PLACE LESS THAN 5 MINS FROM ENG START. BOTH PLTS WERE RUSHED AND TASK SATURATED. AFTER FLYING THE DEP AND LEVELING AT 5000 FT, IT WAS NOTED THAT DCA AND GND CTL WERE BEING MONITORED AND DEP CTL HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. UPON CHKING IN WITH THE DEP CTLR, AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEG TURN WAS INITIATED. THE CTLR, IN A FAIRLY EXCITED VOICE, SAID TO MAKE IT A TIGHT TURN TO AVOID TFC. SUBSEQUENT TURNS BACK TO THE E WERE ORDERED AND THE DEP CTLR HANDED US OFF TO ZNY WITH THE CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE ARMEL 091 DEG RADIAL. ALL WAS WELL UNTIL THE CTR CTLR RPTED THAT WE WERE S OF COURSE. A VECTOR TO RETURN TO COURSE WAS GIVEN. BOTH PLTS WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE FLT UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WRONG VOR FREQ HAD BEEN SET. UPON CORRECTING THAT MISTAKE IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE FLT WAS WELL S OF COURSE. DUE TO THE RUSHED START, TKOF AND DEP, BOTH PLTS WERE TASK SATURATED AND BEHIND THE ACFT ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT. 2 INCORRECT FREQS WERE SET, RESULTING IN THE FLT BEING OFF COURSE.

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.