Navigational deviation caused by following wrong VOR.

Attributes
ACN	143769
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ama
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v81
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	143769
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Quite simply, 2 instrument-rated pilots did not notice that the incorrect VOR was dialed in. Both ama and cds have as their vors 1ST 3 digits 117. We remained on cds when we should have been on ama. We did not change the VOR at the appropriate time. We should have discussed in detail who was doing what. Our responsibilities were not clear individually and I was distracted by her not meeting my expectations, which was unrealistic. Supplemental information from acn 143907: the airplane is owned by the other pilot. Despite our usual habit of sharing flight time so that we can both maintain our instrument currency, my companion is reluctant to relinquish PIC status. We both overlooked our incorrect VOR frequency setting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAVIGATIONAL DEVIATION CAUSED BY FOLLOWING WRONG VOR.

Narrative: QUITE SIMPLY, 2 INSTRUMENT-RATED PLTS DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE INCORRECT VOR WAS DIALED IN. BOTH AMA AND CDS HAVE AS THEIR VORS 1ST 3 DIGITS 117. WE REMAINED ON CDS WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON AMA. WE DID NOT CHANGE THE VOR AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. WE SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL WHO WAS DOING WHAT. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE NOT CLEAR INDIVIDUALLY AND I WAS DISTRACTED BY HER NOT MEETING MY EXPECTATIONS, WHICH WAS UNREALISTIC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 143907: THE AIRPLANE IS OWNED BY THE OTHER PLT. DESPITE OUR USUAL HABIT OF SHARING FLT TIME SO THAT WE CAN BOTH MAINTAIN OUR INSTRUMENT CURRENCY, MY COMPANION IS RELUCTANT TO RELINQUISH PIC STATUS. WE BOTH OVERLOOKED OUR INCORRECT VOR FREQ SETTING.

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.