Narrative:

Flight from iad to lga. Cleared aml direct wooly intersection via radar vectors. Given heading 060 degrees to intercept V214 and handed off to bwi approach. Bwi approach accepted handoff and told us to expect direct bwi in 5 mi. Wooly intersection equals 101 degree radial mrb and balance 308 degree radial. Captain had 308 degree radial balance in #1 navigation and first officer had 101 degree radial mrb in #2 navigation. After checking in with bwi approach, I (captain) left frequency to make required company call. When first officer heard 'expect direct bwi, he selected balance 115.1 in #2 navigation. He then proceeded to intercept balance 101 degree radial having not changed CDI selection. When I (captain) returned from company call on #2 communication, I heard bwi approach on #1 communication asking us to say our heading. I then realized that first officer had intercepted the wrong radial and told bwi approach that our new heading was 101 degrees. Bwi told us to return to our original heading. Bwi then told us to climb to 11000 ft and then proceed direct to balance (115.1). I had not seen first officer switch from mrb to bwi and when I was on company frequency and I saw him intercept 101 degree radial I believed it was mrb 101 degree radial. Audio panel in aircraft does not permit monitoring #1 communication while transmit on #2 communication. Required company calls divert 1 pilot's attention from flight and navigation duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN LTT MISTAKENLY TRACKS THE WRONG VOR RADIAL DURING TERMINAL CTL ROUTING CAUSING THE CTLR TO INTERVENE AND ISSUE A NEW CLRNC.

Narrative: FLT FROM IAD TO LGA. CLRED AML DIRECT WOOLY INTXN VIA RADAR VECTORS. GIVEN HDG 060 DEGS TO INTERCEPT V214 AND HANDED OFF TO BWI APCH. BWI APCH ACCEPTED HDOF AND TOLD US TO EXPECT DIRECT BWI IN 5 MI. WOOLY INTXN EQUALS 101 DEG RADIAL MRB AND BAL 308 DEG RADIAL. CAPT HAD 308 DEG RADIAL BAL IN #1 NAV AND FO HAD 101 DEG RADIAL MRB IN #2 NAV. AFTER CHKING IN WITH BWI APCH, I (CAPT) LEFT FREQ TO MAKE REQUIRED COMPANY CALL. WHEN FO HEARD 'EXPECT DIRECT BWI, HE SELECTED BAL 115.1 IN #2 NAV. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO INTERCEPT BAL 101 DEG RADIAL HAVING NOT CHANGED CDI SELECTION. WHEN I (CAPT) RETURNED FROM COMPANY CALL ON #2 COM, I HEARD BWI APCH ON #1 COM ASKING US TO SAY OUR HDG. I THEN REALIZED THAT FO HAD INTERCEPTED THE WRONG RADIAL AND TOLD BWI APCH THAT OUR NEW HDG WAS 101 DEGS. BWI TOLD US TO RETURN TO OUR ORIGINAL HDG. BWI THEN TOLD US TO CLB TO 11000 FT AND THEN PROCEED DIRECT TO BAL (115.1). I HAD NOT SEEN FO SWITCH FROM MRB TO BWI AND WHEN I WAS ON COMPANY FREQ AND I SAW HIM INTERCEPT 101 DEG RADIAL I BELIEVED IT WAS MRB 101 DEG RADIAL. AUDIO PANEL IN ACFT DOES NOT PERMIT MONITORING #1 COM WHILE XMIT ON #2 COM. REQUIRED COMPANY CALLS DIVERT 1 PLT'S ATTN FROM FLT AND NAV DUTIES.

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.