Captain of a B737-200 failed to maintain assigned heading by ATC for vector to airway resulting in A...

Attributes
ACN	421636
Time
Date	199812
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vcn airport : phl
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j-225
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9300 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	421636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing phl, was given vector of 060 degrees to join J-225. Captain was flying. I retuned my navigation radio to the next fix and inbound radial for assigned route. J-225 does have a mileage break about 25 mi south of jfk VOR. Normally the PNF stays 1 step ahead of PF for navigation purposes. I had noticed captain had retuned radio for outbound radial from vcn (047 degrees). The knob on the right side of radio prevented me from seeing the last digit of frequency vcn (115.2) jfk (115.9). ATC gave us an immediate left turn to 030 degrees to rejoin radial and inquired 'what happened.' I immediately realized that the captain had the wrong VOR (jfk instead of vcn) frequency tuned in. ATC stated that we were 5 mi east of course and near other aircraft. We made the necessary corrections and proceeded on course. This was a new captain less than 100 hours in aircraft. His previous experience was as an first officer on B737-300 and B737-400 aircraft with FMC's. I fully believe that you lose basic navigation skills after being in highly automated aircraft for a long period of time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737-200 FAILED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED HDG BY ATC FOR VECTOR TO AIRWAY RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION AND A REQUESTED IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID OTHER TFC. THE CAPT HAD INADVERTENTLY TUNED IN THE PRECEDING VOR RATHER THAN THE APCHING ONE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING PHL, WAS GIVEN VECTOR OF 060 DEGS TO JOIN J-225. CAPT WAS FLYING. I RETUNED MY NAV RADIO TO THE NEXT FIX AND INBOUND RADIAL FOR ASSIGNED RTE. J-225 DOES HAVE A MILEAGE BREAK ABOUT 25 MI S OF JFK VOR. NORMALLY THE PNF STAYS 1 STEP AHEAD OF PF FOR NAV PURPOSES. I HAD NOTICED CAPT HAD RETUNED RADIO FOR OUTBOUND RADIAL FROM VCN (047 DEGS). THE KNOB ON THE R SIDE OF RADIO PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THE LAST DIGIT OF FREQ VCN (115.2) JFK (115.9). ATC GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 030 DEGS TO REJOIN RADIAL AND INQUIRED 'WHAT HAPPENED.' I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT THE CAPT HAD THE WRONG VOR (JFK INSTEAD OF VCN) FREQ TUNED IN. ATC STATED THAT WE WERE 5 MI E OF COURSE AND NEAR OTHER ACFT. WE MADE THE NECESSARY CORRECTIONS AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. THIS WAS A NEW CAPT LESS THAN 100 HRS IN ACFT. HIS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WAS AS AN FO ON B737-300 AND B737-400 ACFT WITH FMC'S. I FULLY BELIEVE THAT YOU LOSE BASIC NAV SKILLS AFTER BEING IN HIGHLY AUTOMATED ACFT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

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.

Captain of a B737-200 failed to maintain assigned heading by ATC for vector to airway resulting in ATC intervention and a requested immediate turn to avoid other traffic. The captain had inadvertently tuned in the preceding VOR rather than the approaching one.