A DC10 crew deviated from course by following an assigned vector for 800 NM.

Attributes
ACN	530373
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc.artcc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	530373
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight plan from lax-mem. Aircraft was not equipped with long range navigation. ATC cleared us direct memphis soon after departure from lax with an assigned heading. About 800 mi down range on the same heading, we were now about 100 mi 'off course.' our company and ATC then tried contacting us for about 20 mins to no avail. Apparently ATC was calling us on the wrong frequency because when we were contacted on our current assigned frequency we responded to the first call. Apparently military jets were about to be called for an intercept. No attempt had been made to contact us on guard channel 121.5. There was no conflict with other traffic according to ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 CREW DEVIATED FROM COURSE BY FOLLOWING AN ASSIGNED VECTOR FOR 800 NM.

Narrative: FLT PLAN FROM LAX-MEM. ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH LONG RANGE NAV. ATC CLRED US DIRECT MEMPHIS SOON AFTER DEP FROM LAX WITH AN ASSIGNED HDG. ABOUT 800 MI DOWN RANGE ON THE SAME HDG, WE WERE NOW ABOUT 100 MI 'OFF COURSE.' OUR COMPANY AND ATC THEN TRIED CONTACTING US FOR ABOUT 20 MINS TO NO AVAIL. APPARENTLY ATC WAS CALLING US ON THE WRONG FREQ BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE CONTACTED ON OUR CURRENT ASSIGNED FREQ WE RESPONDED TO THE FIRST CALL. APPARENTLY MIL JETS WERE ABOUT TO BE CALLED FOR AN INTERCEPT. NO ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO CONTACT US ON GUARD CHANNEL 121.5. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC ACCORDING TO ATC.

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.