Narrative:

Tuned in wrong VOR and failed to intercept airway. Had approximately 30 degree intercept angle on V-8, but did not notice that lny VORTAC was tuned in instead of mkk. I was wondering why the RMI needle was still pointed at approximately 9 O'clock position when it should be moving towards 6 O'clock position. Center handed us off to approach, and said 'are you joining the airway yet' and we said 'yes.' I actually turned further left because the airway had still not come in. Then I realized (suddenly) that we were on the wrong VOR frequency. Approach gave us a heading and there was no further mention of it. I will say the tuned VORTAC out loud now on the before start checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9 FLC ATTEMPTED TO JOIN AN AIRWAY, BUT WERE USING THE WRONG VOR FREQ. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WERE INTERCEPTING AND THE APCH CTLR GAVE THEM A VECTOR BEFORE THE RPTR RECOGNIZED HIS ERROR.

Narrative: TUNED IN WRONG VOR AND FAILED TO INTERCEPT AIRWAY. HAD APPROX 30 DEG INTERCEPT ANGLE ON V-8, BUT DID NOT NOTICE THAT LNY VORTAC WAS TUNED IN INSTEAD OF MKK. I WAS WONDERING WHY THE RMI NEEDLE WAS STILL POINTED AT APPROX 9 O'CLOCK POS WHEN IT SHOULD BE MOVING TOWARDS 6 O'CLOCK POS. CTR HANDED US OFF TO APCH, AND SAID 'ARE YOU JOINING THE AIRWAY YET' AND WE SAID 'YES.' I ACTUALLY TURNED FURTHER L BECAUSE THE AIRWAY HAD STILL NOT COME IN. THEN I REALIZED (SUDDENLY) THAT WE WERE ON THE WRONG VOR FREQ. APCH GAVE US A HEADING AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER MENTION OF IT. I WILL SAY THE TUNED VORTAC OUT LOUD NOW ON THE BEFORE START CHKLIST.

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.