Narrative:

We were cleared for the lih VOR 21 approach. However, both vors were tuned to the wrong frequency. They were tuned to sok instead of lih. We had intercepted V16, the airway to sok, but used to get us to lihue. I was off frequency getting ATIS when the first officer received radar vectors toward lihue. We were then given vectors to intercept the 12 DME arc. ATIS had indicated that lih was VFR, and we were expecting a visual approach. Thus, the VOR 21 approach had not been briefed. Then the controller cleared us for the approach. It was totally our mistake. I have heard of others doing the same thing on this approach, but I never suspected that I could do the same thing. The error was discovered when the controller asked us if we had the airport in sight, which we did, and we were cleared for the visual approach. The situation would have been prevented if the ATIS had indicated that an instrument approach was in use. We would have briefed for the approach. Also, we should have switched our radios to lih when we started receiving radar vectors. Normally, we receive a vector toward lih before intercepting V16. But, this time we didn't. Complacency was the key factor here. I also feel that the controller was late in catching our mistake. After all, we missed the lih 12 DME arc by 5 mi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC, ANTICIPATING VISUAL APCH, FAILS TO TUNE NAV RADIOS APPROPRIATELY FOR APCH ASSIGNED, RESULTING IN TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE LIH VOR 21 APCH. HOWEVER, BOTH VORS WERE TUNED TO THE WRONG FREQ. THEY WERE TUNED TO SOK INSTEAD OF LIH. WE HAD INTERCEPTED V16, THE AIRWAY TO SOK, BUT USED TO GET US TO LIHUE. I WAS OFF FREQ GETTING ATIS WHEN THE FO RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TOWARD LIHUE. WE WERE THEN GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE 12 DME ARC. ATIS HAD INDICATED THAT LIH WAS VFR, AND WE WERE EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH. THUS, THE VOR 21 APCH HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED. THEN THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE APCH. IT WAS TOTALLY OUR MISTAKE. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME THING ON THIS APCH, BUT I NEVER SUSPECTED THAT I COULD DO THE SAME THING. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WHICH WE DID, AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. THE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE ATIS HAD INDICATED THAT AN INST APCH WAS IN USE. WE WOULD HAVE BRIEFED FOR THE APCH. ALSO, WE SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED OUR RADIOS TO LIH WHEN WE STARTED RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS. NORMALLY, WE RECEIVE A VECTOR TOWARD LIH BEFORE INTERCEPTING V16. BUT, THIS TIME WE DIDN'T. COMPLACENCY WAS THE KEY FACTOR HERE. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE CTLR WAS LATE IN CATCHING OUR MISTAKE. AFTER ALL, WE MISSED THE LIH 12 DME ARC BY 5 MI.

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.