Commuter aircraft uses wrong VOR frequency. Navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	309475
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : rdg
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	309475
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It is standard procedure to tune and set communication and navigation radios prior to departure. Being unfamiliar with the canned flight plan route, I reached for the en route chart. My copilot stated that there was no need, he had made a 'cheat sheet.' I looked at it briefly and it appeared to match the center stored route. After departing we were given a vector to join the airway. There were no navigation flags and the CDI was full scale to the side that would be expected. We were just becoming suspicious when ATC advised us that we had flown through the airway. The 'cheat sheet' was correct except for the navigation frequency. Solution is obvious: 'cheat sheets' can be helpful in quickly identing a route but should never be used for navigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT USES WRONG VOR FREQ. NAV ERROR.

Narrative: IT IS STANDARD PROC TO TUNE AND SET COM AND NAV RADIOS PRIOR TO DEP. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CANNED FLT PLAN RTE, I REACHED FOR THE ENRTE CHART. MY COPLT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO NEED, HE HAD MADE A 'CHEAT SHEET.' I LOOKED AT IT BRIEFLY AND IT APPEARED TO MATCH THE CTR STORED RTE. AFTER DEPARTING WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR TO JOIN THE AIRWAY. THERE WERE NO NAV FLAGS AND THE CDI WAS FULL SCALE TO THE SIDE THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED. WE WERE JUST BECOMING SUSPICIOUS WHEN ATC ADVISED US THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE AIRWAY. THE 'CHEAT SHEET' WAS CORRECT EXCEPT FOR THE NAV FREQ. SOLUTION IS OBVIOUS: 'CHEAT SHEETS' CAN BE HELPFUL IN QUICKLY IDENTING A RTE BUT SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR NAV.

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.