An air carrier first officer failed to switch his dual head VOR from one to the other.

Attributes
ACN	271870
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	271870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance 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

Narrative:

Climbing out of dca, ATC requested we intercept 135 radial of johnstown on 340 heading. After turning to 340 heading, reached down to a dual head VOR, selecting johnstown -- then set in course on HSI -- however, I did not switch on the dual head VOR receiver so still navigating off of dca. I made the turn too early and ATC advised us. We connected and continued on. I believe the dual head is an accident waiting to happen and changing sleep habits from 3 days of 'late' to last day 'early' contributed to this problem. The other problem with the dual head receiver is the copilot and captain can't see what is selected on the other receiver because the throttles block the view. Theme is a green light showing where the switch is, but in the daytime, you really can't see it. Dual head radios are okay (especially in the proper location) but not dual head VOR/ILS receivers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO FAILED TO SWITCH HIS DUAL HEAD VOR FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF DCA, ATC REQUESTED WE INTERCEPT 135 RADIAL OF JOHNSTOWN ON 340 HDG. AFTER TURNING TO 340 HDG, REACHED DOWN TO A DUAL HEAD VOR, SELECTING JOHNSTOWN -- THEN SET IN COURSE ON HSI -- HOWEVER, I DID NOT SWITCH ON THE DUAL HEAD VOR RECEIVER SO STILL NAVIGATING OFF OF DCA. I MADE THE TURN TOO EARLY AND ATC ADVISED US. WE CONNECTED AND CONTINUED ON. I BELIEVE THE DUAL HEAD IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND CHANGING SLEEP HABITS FROM 3 DAYS OF 'LATE' TO LAST DAY 'EARLY' CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROB. THE OTHER PROB WITH THE DUAL HEAD RECEIVER IS THE COPLT AND CAPT CAN'T SEE WHAT IS SELECTED ON THE OTHER RECEIVER BECAUSE THE THROTTLES BLOCK THE VIEW. THEME IS A GREEN LIGHT SHOWING WHERE THE SWITCH IS, BUT IN THE DAYTIME, YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE IT. DUAL HEAD RADIOS ARE OKAY (ESPECIALLY IN THE PROPER LOCATION) BUT NOT DUAL HEAD VOR/ILS RECEIVERS.

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.