DC9 going to mli starts flying to the wrong VOR. ATC catches error and corrects the course.

Attributes
ACN	418780
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mli
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4460 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	418780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Navigation error. En route to mli, our flight was cleared direct mli VOR from a point less than 100 mi from the mli VOR. I was PF and was 'loaded up' due to the autoplt inoperative and the WX being IMC and bumpy. The captain (PNF) turned his navigation radio supposedly for direct mli VOR. Being busy, I looked at the frequency in his radio (114.1) and set it in mine. Unfortunately that is the frequency for cedar rapids VOR. But because it pointed in the proper general direction (north) and the DME was less than 100, it seemed to be providing reasonable information. I, PF, seemed to recognize the frequency as correct and even quickly looked at my chart and since the proper mli frequency is 114.4, I did not catch the error (poor lighting, busy hand flying in somewhat bumpy WX, fatigue -- end of a long day). The captain did not identify the radio - - he was distraction with radio calls, getting ATIS, calling company, etc, and forgot to identify the frequency. Thus, we headed for cedar rapids instead of mli. Fortunately, the center controller recognized we were not proceeding directly to mli and vectored us to mli approximately when we recognized our error. Good job by the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 GOING TO MLI STARTS FLYING TO THE WRONG VOR. ATC CATCHES ERROR AND CORRECTS THE COURSE.

Narrative: NAV ERROR. ENRTE TO MLI, OUR FLT WAS CLRED DIRECT MLI VOR FROM A POINT LESS THAN 100 MI FROM THE MLI VOR. I WAS PF AND WAS 'LOADED UP' DUE TO THE AUTOPLT INOP AND THE WX BEING IMC AND BUMPY. THE CAPT (PNF) TURNED HIS NAV RADIO SUPPOSEDLY FOR DIRECT MLI VOR. BEING BUSY, I LOOKED AT THE FREQ IN HIS RADIO (114.1) AND SET IT IN MINE. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS THE FREQ FOR CEDAR RAPIDS VOR. BUT BECAUSE IT POINTED IN THE PROPER GENERAL DIRECTION (N) AND THE DME WAS LESS THAN 100, IT SEEMED TO BE PROVIDING REASONABLE INFO. I, PF, SEEMED TO RECOGNIZE THE FREQ AS CORRECT AND EVEN QUICKLY LOOKED AT MY CHART AND SINCE THE PROPER MLI FREQ IS 114.4, I DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR (POOR LIGHTING, BUSY HAND FLYING IN SOMEWHAT BUMPY WX, FATIGUE -- END OF A LONG DAY). THE CAPT DID NOT IDENT THE RADIO - - HE WAS DISTR WITH RADIO CALLS, GETTING ATIS, CALLING COMPANY, ETC, AND FORGOT TO IDENT THE FREQ. THUS, WE HEADED FOR CEDAR RAPIDS INSTEAD OF MLI. FORTUNATELY, THE CTR CTLR RECOGNIZED WE WERE NOT PROCEEDING DIRECTLY TO MLI AND VECTORED US TO MLI APPROX WHEN WE RECOGNIZED OUR ERROR. GOOD JOB BY THE CTLR.

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.