Air carrier large transport made 2 approachs using the wrong VOR. Wrong airport approach.

Attributes
ACN	301691
Time
Date	199503
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrd airport : nld
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : nld tower : lrd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 8400
ASRS Report	301691
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During flight with adverse meteorological conditions en route, deviations were carried out to avoid bad WX zones. When able to fly direct to destination airport (nld), we requested direct from monterey center, which was authorized. The frequency was tuned and when it was not received, we used the lrd frequency of 117.4 which normally has greater range and we flew direct. Later we were cleared to fly heading 320 degrees to intercept the airway to nld. The error committed by my crew was not to adjust to the nld frequency of 112.6 and we continued flying which resulted in making 2 VOR approachs at the lrd airport with marginal WX conditions. When we broke out of the clouds and had visual contact with the ground, we realized our error and carried out a missed approach, proceeding to the nld VOR and making a approach to runway 14 and landing without further problem. I considered that, in this situation, the control center, which in this case was ZHU could have tried to advise us of the error through the control tower, inasmuch as we flew for nearly 15 mins in its area, carried out instrument approachs at its airport and we were not told anything until we were on the way to nld.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT MADE 2 APCHS USING THE WRONG VOR. WRONG ARPT APCH.

Narrative: DURING FLT WITH ADVERSE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ENRTE, DEVS WERE CARRIED OUT TO AVOID BAD WX ZONES. WHEN ABLE TO FLY DIRECT TO DEST ARPT (NLD), WE REQUESTED DIRECT FROM MONTEREY CTR, WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED. THE FREQ WAS TUNED AND WHEN IT WAS NOT RECEIVED, WE USED THE LRD FREQ OF 117.4 WHICH NORMALLY HAS GREATER RANGE AND WE FLEW DIRECT. LATER WE WERE CLRED TO FLY HDG 320 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY TO NLD. THE ERROR COMMITTED BY MY CREW WAS NOT TO ADJUST TO THE NLD FREQ OF 112.6 AND WE CONTINUED FLYING WHICH RESULTED IN MAKING 2 VOR APCHS AT THE LRD ARPT WITH MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS. WHEN WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND, WE REALIZED OUR ERROR AND CARRIED OUT A MISSED APCH, PROCEEDING TO THE NLD VOR AND MAKING A APCH TO RWY 14 AND LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER PROB. I CONSIDERED THAT, IN THIS SIT, THE CTL CTR, WHICH IN THIS CASE WAS ZHU COULD HAVE TRIED TO ADVISE US OF THE ERROR THROUGH THE CTL TWR, INASMUCH AS WE FLEW FOR NEARLY 15 MINS IN ITS AREA, CARRIED OUT INST APCHS AT ITS ARPT AND WE WERE NOT TOLD ANYTHING UNTIL WE WERE ON THE WAY TO NLD.

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.