Narrative:

Departed bos IFR to iad. Climbing out on assigned heading 270 degrees, ATC gave direct baf (113.00). PF dialed in bdl (109.0) and proceeded to fly to bdl. Second controller, frequency 135.47, questioned our heading for baf and then assigned a heading 275 degrees to intercept J77. Over bdl, turned to intercept the 246 degree radial thinking we had crossed baf. Controller calls and tells us we have been flying direct bdl and intercepted the wrong airway. Changed us to next controller for a new heading. Cause of error was the PF dialing the wrong VOR frequency in. Mitigating circumstances were ATC controller watching as aircraft flew to wrong VOR and turned. Did nothing to correct mistake, knowing full well what had happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF DC9-30 DIALED IN THE WRONG VORTAC FREQ JUST BEFORE COMPLETING ENRTE CLB TO ALT. ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED AND EVENTUALLY VECTORED ACFT ON COURSE, AFTER CHASTISING THE CREW FOR THEIR ERROR.

Narrative: DEPARTED BOS IFR TO IAD. CLBING OUT ON ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS, ATC GAVE DIRECT BAF (113.00). PF DIALED IN BDL (109.0) AND PROCEEDED TO FLY TO BDL. SECOND CTLR, FREQ 135.47, QUESTIONED OUR HDG FOR BAF AND THEN ASSIGNED A HDG 275 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J77. OVER BDL, TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE 246 DEG RADIAL THINKING WE HAD CROSSED BAF. CTLR CALLS AND TELLS US WE HAVE BEEN FLYING DIRECT BDL AND INTERCEPTED THE WRONG AIRWAY. CHANGED US TO NEXT CTLR FOR A NEW HDG. CAUSE OF ERROR WAS THE PF DIALING THE WRONG VOR FREQ IN. MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES WERE ATC CTLR WATCHING AS ACFT FLEW TO WRONG VOR AND TURNED. DID NOTHING TO CORRECT MISTAKE, KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

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.