Heading deviation due unpublished VOR frequency change.

Attributes
ACN	190165
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mol
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	190165
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Mol VOR frequency was changed. This change was not indicated on our high altitude map. With this confusion as to VOR frequency, I tracked outbound from gve thinking we were over mol. Our charts were current. I suggest better communication to commercial company before changing a VOR frequency. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the frequency change occurred 2 days before this incident. Reporter researched for NOTAM when controller told him of change. No NOTAM information found. Reporter aircraft did not make turn as no indication they had reached the VOR. No conflict occurred. Controller asked why they had not turned and then gave new frequency. Said they were not the only ones. Reporter feels there should be some way for ATC or someone in FAA to pick up a telephone and notify commercial company of frequency change so mistakes don't continue. He followed up within company and urged a notice to all company pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV DUE UNPUBLISHED VOR FREQ CHANGE.

Narrative: MOL VOR FREQ WAS CHANGED. THIS CHANGE WAS NOT INDICATED ON OUR HIGH ALT MAP. WITH THIS CONFUSION AS TO VOR FREQ, I TRACKED OUTBOUND FROM GVE THINKING WE WERE OVER MOL. OUR CHARTS WERE CURRENT. I SUGGEST BETTER COM TO COMMERCIAL COMPANY BEFORE CHANGING A VOR FREQ. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FREQ CHANGE OCCURRED 2 DAYS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. RPTR RESEARCHED FOR NOTAM WHEN CTLR TOLD HIM OF CHANGE. NO NOTAM INFO FOUND. RPTR ACFT DID NOT MAKE TURN AS NO INDICATION THEY HAD REACHED THE VOR. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. CTLR ASKED WHY THEY HAD NOT TURNED AND THEN GAVE NEW FREQ. SAID THEY WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES. RPTR FEELS THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY FOR ATC OR SOMEONE IN FAA TO PICK UP A TELEPHONE AND NOTIFY COMMERCIAL COMPANY OF FREQ CHANGE SO MISTAKES DON'T CONTINUE. HE FOLLOWED UP WITHIN COMPANY AND URGED A NOTICE TO ALL COMPANY PLTS.

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.