Narrative:

B737 (aircraft X) was sbound out of rochester for orlando. D328 (aircraft Y) was sbound heading for pittsburgh. Previous controller assigned B737 a heading to diverge from D328 to accommodate B737's climb. B737 had filed roc..jhw..kwn./.mco. Abeam of jhw, aircraft rtes were diverging sufficiently to allow B737 to resume his own navigation. Ekn VOR is frequently 114.2 and a low altitude VOR. Yqg is also 114.2 and a low altitude VOR. The pilot filed jhw direct ekn -- an approximately distance of 210 mi. Jhw to yqg is also about 210 mi. Pilot tuned in 114.2 and naved direct. He had tuned in yqg, and apparently did not verify the signal. He continued climb and with his wrong turn, this put him in conflict with D328. Pilot of B737 turned to a 280 degree heading to fly to orlando -- obviously unaware of the error. Supplemental information from acn 417495: on climb out from roc airport, we were on a heading of 220 degrees. Climbing through FL180, ATC cleared us direct ekn VOR (114.2). I tuned in ekn VOR on 114.2, the VOR needle pointed to 270 degrees and the captain turned to that heading. Climbing through FL205, I noticed traffic on TCASII that could be a potential conflict. I queried ATC and they told us to maintain FL210. They then instructed us to fly direct ekn. I rechked the frequency (114.2) and told them 'we are direct ekn.' ATC then told us to fly a heading of 210 degrees until receiving. Upon further investigation, we noticed another VOR with a 114.2 frequency west of our position (yqo VOR). This is the VOR we were receiving. At our position, when cleared to fly direct to ekn, tuning in 114.2, received yqo VOR. A clearance of 'fly heading 210 degrees, direct ekn when able' as well as better diligence and situational awareness on the part of the flight crew would have prevented this situation. Also getting a positive identify on ekn through morse would be a good idea in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB RADAR CTLR BECOMES AWARE OF ACFT CONFLICT AFTER OBSERVING CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATION AS A B737, NAVING TO THE WRONG VOR, TURNS INTO A D328 AT CRUISE.

Narrative: B737 (ACFT X) WAS SBOUND OUT OF ROCHESTER FOR ORLANDO. D328 (ACFT Y) WAS SBOUND HDG FOR PITTSBURGH. PREVIOUS CTLR ASSIGNED B737 A HDG TO DIVERGE FROM D328 TO ACCOMMODATE B737'S CLB. B737 HAD FILED ROC..JHW..KWN./.MCO. ABEAM OF JHW, ACFT RTES WERE DIVERGING SUFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW B737 TO RESUME HIS OWN NAV. EKN VOR IS FREQUENTLY 114.2 AND A LOW ALT VOR. YQG IS ALSO 114.2 AND A LOW ALT VOR. THE PLT FILED JHW DIRECT EKN -- AN APPROX DISTANCE OF 210 MI. JHW TO YQG IS ALSO ABOUT 210 MI. PLT TUNED IN 114.2 AND NAVED DIRECT. HE HAD TUNED IN YQG, AND APPARENTLY DID NOT VERIFY THE SIGNAL. HE CONTINUED CLB AND WITH HIS WRONG TURN, THIS PUT HIM IN CONFLICT WITH D328. PLT OF B737 TURNED TO A 280 DEG HDG TO FLY TO ORLANDO -- OBVIOUSLY UNAWARE OF THE ERROR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 417495: ON CLBOUT FROM ROC ARPT, WE WERE ON A HDG OF 220 DEGS. CLBING THROUGH FL180, ATC CLRED US DIRECT EKN VOR (114.2). I TUNED IN EKN VOR ON 114.2, THE VOR NEEDLE POINTED TO 270 DEGS AND THE CAPT TURNED TO THAT HDG. CLBING THROUGH FL205, I NOTICED TFC ON TCASII THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT. I QUERIED ATC AND THEY TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL210. THEY THEN INSTRUCTED US TO FLY DIRECT EKN. I RECHKED THE FREQ (114.2) AND TOLD THEM 'WE ARE DIRECT EKN.' ATC THEN TOLD US TO FLY A HDG OF 210 DEGS UNTIL RECEIVING. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE NOTICED ANOTHER VOR WITH A 114.2 FREQ W OF OUR POS (YQO VOR). THIS IS THE VOR WE WERE RECEIVING. AT OUR POS, WHEN CLRED TO FLY DIRECT TO EKN, TUNING IN 114.2, RECEIVED YQO VOR. A CLRNC OF 'FLY HDG 210 DEGS, DIRECT EKN WHEN ABLE' AS WELL AS BETTER DILIGENCE AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON THE PART OF THE FLC WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT. ALSO GETTING A POSITIVE IDENT ON EKN THROUGH MORSE WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IN THE FUTURE.

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.