Narrative:

While turning from base to final at 4000 ft for visual approach to runway 18R at mco; the controller issued a clearance to 'proceed to the orlando VOR.' the first officer (PF) selected orl in the FMS. The FMS commanded a left turn (away from the airport). Because of the VMC conditions; we could see the airport and were sure that it was in error. Re-selecting orl did not change anything. Using fix page instead of the navigation page was of no avail. While trying to ascertain our exact position relative to the VOR we flew through the localizer and caused a traffic conflict with aircraft flying approachs to runway 17. TA's were triggered by the TCAS; but no RA's. We were then given a vector back towards the airport and completed the approach without further incident. At the gate; after the flight; the position of orl selected in the FMS was N63 40.9 E009 37.4. The orlando VOR is N28 32.6 W81.20.1 thus causing the confusion. When presented with the 2 possibilities; the first officer apparently selected the wrong one. Subsequent attempts to re-select the proper VOR were unsuccessful; we were also unable to quickly delete the fix as it was the active fix once go-direct was selected. Selecting VOR for a bearing pointer on the EFIS panel was of no use since the automatic-tune had selected another frequency. By the time we were trying to enter a VOR frequency; we had passed the localizer into conflict with other traffic. Supplemental information from acn 724103: the crew didn't have orl in the FMS; and both of the crew went heads down to type it in. They selected the wrong 'orl' (looked like in the southern hemisphere); and thought they needed to make a left hand turn to proceed direct to orl. During the left hand turn; they crossed through the localizer of runway 18R; and flew into the traffic flow of runways 17L and 17R. Approach vectored them back to the west side of the airport; and cleared them for a visual to runway 18R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-400 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK AND OR HDG DEV AND TCAS ALERT DURING APCH TO MCO.

Narrative: WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL AT 4000 FT FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R AT MCO; THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO 'PROCEED TO THE ORLANDO VOR.' THE FO (PF) SELECTED ORL IN THE FMS. THE FMS COMMANDED A L TURN (AWAY FROM THE ARPT). BECAUSE OF THE VMC CONDITIONS; WE COULD SEE THE ARPT AND WERE SURE THAT IT WAS IN ERROR. RE-SELECTING ORL DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING. USING FIX PAGE INSTEAD OF THE NAV PAGE WAS OF NO AVAIL. WHILE TRYING TO ASCERTAIN OUR EXACT POS RELATIVE TO THE VOR WE FLEW THROUGH THE LOC AND CAUSED A TFC CONFLICT WITH ACFT FLYING APCHS TO RWY 17. TA'S WERE TRIGGERED BY THE TCAS; BUT NO RA'S. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A VECTOR BACK TOWARDS THE ARPT AND COMPLETED THE APCH WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THE GATE; AFTER THE FLT; THE POS OF ORL SELECTED IN THE FMS WAS N63 40.9 E009 37.4. THE ORLANDO VOR IS N28 32.6 W81.20.1 THUS CAUSING THE CONFUSION. WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE 2 POSSIBILITIES; THE FO APPARENTLY SELECTED THE WRONG ONE. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO RE-SELECT THE PROPER VOR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL; WE WERE ALSO UNABLE TO QUICKLY DELETE THE FIX AS IT WAS THE ACTIVE FIX ONCE GO-DIRECT WAS SELECTED. SELECTING VOR FOR A BEARING POINTER ON THE EFIS PANEL WAS OF NO USE SINCE THE AUTO-TUNE HAD SELECTED ANOTHER FREQ. BY THE TIME WE WERE TRYING TO ENTER A VOR FREQ; WE HAD PASSED THE LOC INTO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 724103: THE CREW DIDN'T HAVE ORL IN THE FMS; AND BOTH OF THE CREW WENT HEADS DOWN TO TYPE IT IN. THEY SELECTED THE WRONG 'ORL' (LOOKED LIKE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE); AND THOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE A L HAND TURN TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ORL. DURING THE L HAND TURN; THEY CROSSED THROUGH THE LOC OF RWY 18R; AND FLEW INTO THE TFC FLOW OF RWYS 17L AND 17R. APCH VECTORED THEM BACK TO THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT; AND CLRED THEM FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 18R.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.