Narrative:

Takeoff from runway 33, right turn to get over river. I had set #1 VOR to dca and displayed #1 VOR on left sdu with course line set for 328 degrees. At georgetown reservoir I could not see the river over the nose of the aircraft, so I glanced at the sdu which was indicating steer left. I was sure this could not be correct at which point we reached 3000 ft so I had to level the aircraft. At this time departure asked what our heading was and I noticed I could see the river off to right side of the aircraft. We replied our heading was 320 degrees and departure gave us a vector to the south. After climbing to altitude I tried to determine why my backup plan had not worked. We found the #1 VOR was no longer tuned to dca. I know I checked the navigation frequencys as we left the hold short line for runway 33 but I do not remember if I had to actually load 111.0 into #1 VOR which would force the manual mode for navigation tuning or if 111.0 was already in the selection and I failed to notice the #1 navigation was in automatic select. Supplemental information from acn 380457: as a crew, I feel we work together. Although on this day, I was distraction prior to lineup for takeoff. Hundreds of flying seagulls in the area. Checklist had been completed. We taxied into position to hold. I did not make sure a navigation system was in manual tune. Both FMS system must have been in automatic tune. Both sdu's had been set to fly 328 degrees after 4 DME. After takeoff we flew the river as on the chart. The navigation system indicated a turn to left, so the captain was making the turn when departure called. Departure gave us a vector and sounded upset. Nothing else was said.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF BE400A SETS VOR TO FLY OUTBOUND BUT ENDS UP TO THE R OF COURSE. DEP CTLR QUERIES FLC. APPARENTLY SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH MODE WAS SELECTED AT THE TIME.

Narrative: TKOF FROM RWY 33, R TURN TO GET OVER RIVER. I HAD SET #1 VOR TO DCA AND DISPLAYED #1 VOR ON L SDU WITH COURSE LINE SET FOR 328 DEGS. AT GEORGETOWN RESERVOIR I COULD NOT SEE THE RIVER OVER THE NOSE OF THE ACFT, SO I GLANCED AT THE SDU WHICH WAS INDICATING STEER L. I WAS SURE THIS COULD NOT BE CORRECT AT WHICH POINT WE REACHED 3000 FT SO I HAD TO LEVEL THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME DEP ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS AND I NOTICED I COULD SEE THE RIVER OFF TO R SIDE OF THE ACFT. WE REPLIED OUR HDG WAS 320 DEGS AND DEP GAVE US A VECTOR TO THE S. AFTER CLBING TO ALT I TRIED TO DETERMINE WHY MY BACKUP PLAN HAD NOT WORKED. WE FOUND THE #1 VOR WAS NO LONGER TUNED TO DCA. I KNOW I CHKED THE NAV FREQS AS WE LEFT THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 33 BUT I DO NOT REMEMBER IF I HAD TO ACTUALLY LOAD 111.0 INTO #1 VOR WHICH WOULD FORCE THE MANUAL MODE FOR NAV TUNING OR IF 111.0 WAS ALREADY IN THE SELECTION AND I FAILED TO NOTICE THE #1 NAV WAS IN AUTO SELECT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 380457: AS A CREW, I FEEL WE WORK TOGETHER. ALTHOUGH ON THIS DAY, I WAS DISTR PRIOR TO LINEUP FOR TKOF. HUNDREDS OF FLYING SEAGULLS IN THE AREA. CHKLIST HAD BEEN COMPLETED. WE TAXIED INTO POS TO HOLD. I DID NOT MAKE SURE A NAV SYS WAS IN MANUAL TUNE. BOTH FMS SYS MUST HAVE BEEN IN AUTO TUNE. BOTH SDU'S HAD BEEN SET TO FLY 328 DEGS AFTER 4 DME. AFTER TKOF WE FLEW THE RIVER AS ON THE CHART. THE NAV SYS INDICATED A TURN TO L, SO THE CAPT WAS MAKING THE TURN WHEN DEP CALLED. DEP GAVE US A VECTOR AND SOUNDED UPSET. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID.

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.