Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 31L and the kennedy two departure at jfk airport. This departure requires a left turn to the cri VOR and then out the 176 radial for vectors to coate intersection. My first officer programmed the fmcs for this route. After takeoff, we turned left to the cri VOR. About the time we got to the VOR, I thought I heard a frequency change. The transmission was partially covered but my first officer also thought it was for us so I changed to ZNY. I thought the frequency change was early but I had not been in kennedy for several years so was not familiar with the procedures. It was soon apparent we should not have changed frequencys. During the confusion of going to the wrong frequency, I glanced up at the track (heading) and saw 306. As soon as I mentioned it to the first officer, he was flying, he realized his error and immediately began a left turn to get on the 176 radial. About this time we reestablished contact with departure control who then gave us vectors. We were about 5-6 mi north of the cri VOR when we began our turn to the south. I feel that 2 errors were made. The first was not being positive about the frequency change. In our zeal to help make the system work better, we sometimes go backwards as we did. The second error was that I did not check the turn over canarsie VOR. I was distracted by the supposed frequency change. The first officer's error was in following the track line and not checking the heading. (The track line is always up.) he was locked in to going to coate. Another factor was that the fmcs apparently ignored the 176 radial and headed for coate. We checked the fmcs later and it showed that the 176 radial had been entered. Sometimes computers have a mind of their own. We do not always understand their logic. The bottom line is situational awareness. Don't forget the VOR mode.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON DEP FLT FAILED TO FOLLOW ASSIGNED SID ROUTING.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 31L AND THE KENNEDY TWO DEP AT JFK ARPT. THIS DEP REQUIRES A LEFT TURN TO THE CRI VOR AND THEN OUT THE 176 RADIAL FOR VECTORS TO COATE INTXN. MY F/O PROGRAMMED THE FMCS FOR THIS ROUTE. AFTER TKOF, WE TURNED LEFT TO THE CRI VOR. ABOUT THE TIME WE GOT TO THE VOR, I THOUGHT I HEARD A FREQ CHANGE. THE XMISSION WAS PARTIALLY COVERED BUT MY F/O ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS FOR US SO I CHANGED TO ZNY. I THOUGHT THE FREQ CHANGE WAS EARLY BUT I HAD NOT BEEN IN KENNEDY FOR SEVERAL YEARS SO WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCS. IT WAS SOON APPARENT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED FREQS. DURING THE CONFUSION OF GOING TO THE WRONG FREQ, I GLANCED UP AT THE TRACK (HDG) AND SAW 306. AS SOON AS I MENTIONED IT TO THE F/O, HE WAS FLYING, HE REALIZED HIS ERROR AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A LEFT TURN TO GET ON THE 176 RADIAL. ABOUT THIS TIME WE REESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH DEP CTL WHO THEN GAVE US VECTORS. WE WERE ABOUT 5-6 MI N OF THE CRI VOR WHEN WE BEGAN OUR TURN TO THE S. I FEEL THAT 2 ERRORS WERE MADE. THE FIRST WAS NOT BEING POSITIVE ABOUT THE FREQ CHANGE. IN OUR ZEAL TO HELP MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK BETTER, WE SOMETIMES GO BACKWARDS AS WE DID. THE SECOND ERROR WAS THAT I DID NOT CHECK THE TURN OVER CANARSIE VOR. I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE SUPPOSED FREQ CHANGE. THE F/O'S ERROR WAS IN FOLLOWING THE TRACK LINE AND NOT CHECKING THE HDG. (THE TRACK LINE IS ALWAYS UP.) HE WAS LOCKED IN TO GOING TO COATE. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THAT THE FMCS APPARENTLY IGNORED THE 176 RADIAL AND HEADED FOR COATE. WE CHECKED THE FMCS LATER AND IT SHOWED THAT THE 176 RADIAL HAD BEEN ENTERED. SOMETIMES COMPUTERS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. WE DO NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THEIR LOGIC. THE BOTTOM LINE IS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. DON'T FORGET THE VOR MODE.

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.