MD80 flight crew missets VOR radial resulting in heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	366760
Time
Date	199704
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	366760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 16800 flight time type : 9600
ASRS Report	366420
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from psp climbing on V386 329 degree radial to intercept V386 pmd 081 degree radial. Through 16000 ft, captain had me turn to what he thought was the inbound pmd radial. It in fact was V137 104 degree radial. As you can see it was quite a turn and I utilized a 30 degree intercept to catch it quickly as I thought I had overshot. I did not check the captain's radial off pmd as I should have and he made it sound so urgent that I had screwed up that I turned without consulting my chart first. The controller asked where we were going and stopped our climb at FL180. We were just going through 16000 ft. He then gave us a vector to the right and later direct pmd. We were then given a frequency change and asked to phone center. We did this and apologized. We were advised no action would be taken and a turbojet was at FL200 opposite direction. Next time (and I usually am), I will be more vigilant about frequencys and radials tuned in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC MISSETS VOR RADIAL RESULTING IN HDG DEV.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM PSP CLBING ON V386 329 DEG RADIAL TO INTERCEPT V386 PMD 081 DEG RADIAL. THROUGH 16000 FT, CAPT HAD ME TURN TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE INBOUND PMD RADIAL. IT IN FACT WAS V137 104 DEG RADIAL. AS YOU CAN SEE IT WAS QUITE A TURN AND I UTILIZED A 30 DEG INTERCEPT TO CATCH IT QUICKLY AS I THOUGHT I HAD OVERSHOT. I DID NOT CHK THE CAPT'S RADIAL OFF PMD AS I SHOULD HAVE AND HE MADE IT SOUND SO URGENT THAT I HAD SCREWED UP THAT I TURNED WITHOUT CONSULTING MY CHART FIRST. THE CTLR ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING AND STOPPED OUR CLB AT FL180. WE WERE JUST GOING THROUGH 16000 FT. HE THEN GAVE US A VECTOR TO THE R AND LATER DIRECT PMD. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE AND ASKED TO PHONE CTR. WE DID THIS AND APOLOGIZED. WE WERE ADVISED NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AND A TURBOJET WAS AT FL200 OPPOSITE DIRECTION. NEXT TIME (AND I USUALLY AM), I WILL BE MORE VIGILANT ABOUT FREQS AND RADIALS TUNED IN.

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.