Narrative:

On climb out of msp, ATC assigned us a 240 degree heading to intercept J21 to onl. I was hand flying and turned to the heading as the first officer verified the airway and course. A few mins later, ATC asked us to switch frequencys, as I recall. Thereafter, the controller asked us what our clearance was, which the first officer repeated. The controller said it appeared that we were on the 198 degree radial of msp instead of gep. We were given a new heading to reintercept and did so within a few mins. It seems that the first officer's chart was folded in such a way that he did not see that J21 came off of gep not msp. I was hand flying but should have put the autoplt on and verified the frequency myself. The entire time elapsed was only a few mins and there was no other aircraft involved. I asked the controller if there was any problem and he said no. However, this submission and admission may help someone else avoid the same problem. In the future, I will use all my resources (autoplt) to free myself up for navigation tasks. The first officer felt bad about the misident but the responsibility is ultimately mine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC10 FLC FAILED TO TUNE THEIR NAV RADIOS PROPERLY AND DEVIATED FROM ATC INSTRUCTION TO INTERCEPT A JET AIRWAY.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF MSP, ATC ASSIGNED US A 240 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT J21 TO ONL. I WAS HAND FLYING AND TURNED TO THE HDG AS THE FO VERIFIED THE AIRWAY AND COURSE. A FEW MINS LATER, ATC ASKED US TO SWITCH FREQS, AS I RECALL. THEREAFTER, THE CTLR ASKED US WHAT OUR CLRNC WAS, WHICH THE FO REPEATED. THE CTLR SAID IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE ON THE 198 DEG RADIAL OF MSP INSTEAD OF GEP. WE WERE GIVEN A NEW HDG TO REINTERCEPT AND DID SO WITHIN A FEW MINS. IT SEEMS THAT THE FO'S CHART WAS FOLDED IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE DID NOT SEE THAT J21 CAME OFF OF GEP NOT MSP. I WAS HAND FLYING BUT SHOULD HAVE PUT THE AUTOPLT ON AND VERIFIED THE FREQ MYSELF. THE ENTIRE TIME ELAPSED WAS ONLY A FEW MINS AND THERE WAS NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE WAS ANY PROB AND HE SAID NO. HOWEVER, THIS SUBMISSION AND ADMISSION MAY HELP SOMEONE ELSE AVOID THE SAME PROB. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL USE ALL MY RESOURCES (AUTOPLT) TO FREE MYSELF UP FOR NAV TASKS. THE FO FELT BAD ABOUT THE MISIDENT BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ULTIMATELY MINE.

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.