Narrative:

In sum: trip from ord to ewr was holding at slt. Thunderstorms with reported moderate turbulence in path. Offered rerte via mgw with no delays. Crew accepted and they were turned to the west and finally cleared direct ewc and changed to ZOB. After numerous requests they were finally cleared direct mgw (111.6 MHZ) which they tuned in. The identify was very weak and they were very busy in the cockpit so a careful NAVAID identify was never accomplished. They turned east toward the signal, the direction they expected because of their earlier westerly vectors. When ARTCC questioned their heading they discovered they were actually tuned to avp, on the same frequency as mgw (111.6 MHZ). Supplemental information from acn 244411: ZNY was unable to accept the flight due to WX. The flight was rerted to the southwest, then back to the east to avoid the WX. (Slt.ewc.mgw.ott.clasy.J191.eno.WARD4.ewr). As the aircraft passed the etg VOR the pilot requested direct mgw so they would not have to fly as far to the west before turning back to ewr. The aircraft was cleared direct mgw VOR (frequency 111.6) which was a 227 degree heading, 127 mi away. The aircraft made a left turn into ZNY airspace because his VOR navigation radio was receiving the avp VOR (111 mi, 096 degree heading) which also is assigned frequency 111.6. 2 vors this close together should not be assigned the same frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN CLRED DIRECT MGW, LGT CREW TUNED PROPER FREQ BUT ACTUALLY BEGAN FLYING TOWARD AVP WHICH IS ON THE SAME FREQ.

Narrative: IN SUM: TRIP FROM ORD TO EWR WAS HOLDING AT SLT. TSTMS WITH RPTED MODERATE TURB IN PATH. OFFERED RERTE VIA MGW WITH NO DELAYS. CREW ACCEPTED AND THEY WERE TURNED TO THE W AND FINALLY CLRED DIRECT EWC AND CHANGED TO ZOB. AFTER NUMEROUS REQUESTS THEY WERE FINALLY CLRED DIRECT MGW (111.6 MHZ) WHICH THEY TUNED IN. THE IDENT WAS VERY WEAK AND THEY WERE VERY BUSY IN THE COCKPIT SO A CAREFUL NAVAID IDENT WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED. THEY TURNED E TOWARD THE SIGNAL, THE DIRECTION THEY EXPECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR EARLIER WESTERLY VECTORS. WHEN ARTCC QUESTIONED THEIR HDG THEY DISCOVERED THEY WERE ACTUALLY TUNED TO AVP, ON THE SAME FREQ AS MGW (111.6 MHZ). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 244411: ZNY WAS UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE FLT DUE TO WX. THE FLT WAS RERTED TO THE SW, THEN BACK TO THE E TO AVOID THE WX. (SLT.EWC.MGW.OTT.CLASY.J191.ENO.WARD4.EWR). AS THE ACFT PASSED THE ETG VOR THE PLT REQUESTED DIRECT MGW SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO FLY AS FAR TO THE W BEFORE TURNING BACK TO EWR. THE ACFT WAS CLRED DIRECT MGW VOR (FREQ 111.6) WHICH WAS A 227 DEG HDG, 127 MI AWAY. THE ACFT MADE A L TURN INTO ZNY AIRSPACE BECAUSE HIS VOR NAV RADIO WAS RECEIVING THE AVP VOR (111 MI, 096 DEG HDG) WHICH ALSO IS ASSIGNED FREQ 111.6. 2 VORS THIS CLOSE TOGETHER SHOULD NOT BE ASSIGNED THE SAME FREQ.

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.