Narrative:

After departing phl we were being vectored in our climb out. We were just west of mxe when our controller gave us a west heading to 'intercept J6, flight plan.' checking the chart I saw mrb was 112.1 and 245 degrees inbound. The first officer was flying, and I presumed he dialed in the frequency he saw me put in my VOR. As the CDI centered up we turned in on the radial. A few moments later the controller gave us a heading of '280 degrees to intercept J6, flight plan.' only mildly perturbed, I advised him we were on J6. Imagine my surprise when he said, 'no, you're on J48.' I looked at the VOR frequencys and was totally shocked and confused to see 117.9 dialed in on both receivers (EMI). At that point I heard him give someone a heading and could tell from the conversation that it was because of us that he was having to vector the other aircraft. Mrb is a frequency (112.1) I've known from memory for yrs, yet I still check the charts (frequency, headings, arwys, etc do change from time to time). In this case I don't know what happened. Somehow I allowed a glitch to get there and I ended up setting the wrong frequency in (I've had 117.9, EMI, in my memory banks for yrs also!!). Possible if the copilot had not trusted me to set in the correct frequency this would not have occurred. On the other hand, if I had checked the indent it would not have happened. I always check the identify on an ILS, but I can see I still have some habit patterns to change in regards to VOR.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING PHL WE WERE BEING VECTORED IN OUR CLBOUT. WE WERE JUST W OF MXE WHEN OUR CTLR GAVE US A W HDG TO 'INTERCEPT J6, FLT PLAN.' CHKING THE CHART I SAW MRB WAS 112.1 AND 245 DEGS INBND. THE F/O WAS FLYING, AND I PRESUMED HE DIALED IN THE FREQ HE SAW ME PUT IN MY VOR. AS THE CDI CENTERED UP WE TURNED IN ON THE RADIAL. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG OF '280 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J6, FLT PLAN.' ONLY MILDLY PERTURBED, I ADVISED HIM WE WERE ON J6. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN HE SAID, 'NO, YOU'RE ON J48.' I LOOKED AT THE VOR FREQS AND WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED AND CONFUSED TO SEE 117.9 DIALED IN ON BOTH RECEIVERS (EMI). AT THAT POINT I HEARD HIM GIVE SOMEONE A HDG AND COULD TELL FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF US THAT HE WAS HAVING TO VECTOR THE OTHER ACFT. MRB IS A FREQ (112.1) I'VE KNOWN FROM MEMORY FOR YRS, YET I STILL CHK THE CHARTS (FREQ, HDGS, ARWYS, ETC DO CHANGE FROM TIME TO TIME). IN THIS CASE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. SOMEHOW I ALLOWED A GLITCH TO GET THERE AND I ENDED UP SETTING THE WRONG FREQ IN (I'VE HAD 117.9, EMI, IN MY MEMORY BANKS FOR YRS ALSO!!). POSSIBLE IF THE COPLT HAD NOT TRUSTED ME TO SET IN THE CORRECT FREQ THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I HAD CHKED THE INDENT IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I ALWAYS CHK THE IDENT ON AN ILS, BUT I CAN SEE I STILL HAVE SOME HABIT PATTERNS TO CHANGE IN REGARDS TO VOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.