B727 crew overshot the cleared intercept radial on departure from phl.

Attributes
ACN	419230
Time
Date	199811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rav airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 89 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 165
ASRS Report	419230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	419089
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This problem started when the captain failed to pay attention when I was briefing the departure clearance. The clearance was: phl 6, radar vectors to join the pottstown 320 degree radial to intercept J64 ravine direct phillipsburg then as filed, squawk XXXX. I had set pot 116.5 on navigation side with the 320 degree radial set in the obs (course) window. Departure went normal until we crossed pottstown VOR. I remained on the 320 degree heading and the captain changed my VOR frequency to what I thought was ravine VOR 114.6. After about 2 or 3 mins, center inquired about what we are doing, if we are intercepting J64 or not. The captain states that we are and tells me to turn left, that we are off course. After crossing pottstown, I had put in the radial for J64 and at the time of the inquiry I had no indication of intercepting the course. I then asked the captain what was going on. He was looking all over the chart. His response was, put on the autoplt and see. After leveling off, I engaged the autoplt and found that he had put the wrong frequency in my radio. He then tells me I was intercepting J60 instead of J64. About that time center gives us direct to phillipsburg. I feel this incident could have been avoided had there been more attention during the briefing. I also feel the captain should have told me what he was changing my radio frequency to when he switched it. This entire flight was a direct result of no communication from the captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW OVERSHOT THE CLRED INTERCEPT RADIAL ON DEP FROM PHL.

Narrative: THIS PROB STARTED WHEN THE CAPT FAILED TO PAY ATTN WHEN I WAS BRIEFING THE DEP CLRNC. THE CLRNC WAS: PHL 6, RADAR VECTORS TO JOIN THE POTTSTOWN 320 DEG RADIAL TO INTERCEPT J64 RAVINE DIRECT PHILLIPSBURG THEN AS FILED, SQUAWK XXXX. I HAD SET POT 116.5 ON NAV SIDE WITH THE 320 DEG RADIAL SET IN THE OBS (COURSE) WINDOW. DEP WENT NORMAL UNTIL WE CROSSED POTTSTOWN VOR. I REMAINED ON THE 320 DEG HDG AND THE CAPT CHANGED MY VOR FREQ TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RAVINE VOR 114.6. AFTER ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS, CTR INQUIRED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING, IF WE ARE INTERCEPTING J64 OR NOT. THE CAPT STATES THAT WE ARE AND TELLS ME TO TURN L, THAT WE ARE OFF COURSE. AFTER XING POTTSTOWN, I HAD PUT IN THE RADIAL FOR J64 AND AT THE TIME OF THE INQUIRY I HAD NO INDICATION OF INTERCEPTING THE COURSE. I THEN ASKED THE CAPT WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE WAS LOOKING ALL OVER THE CHART. HIS RESPONSE WAS, PUT ON THE AUTOPLT AND SEE. AFTER LEVELING OFF, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND FOUND THAT HE HAD PUT THE WRONG FREQ IN MY RADIO. HE THEN TELLS ME I WAS INTERCEPTING J60 INSTEAD OF J64. ABOUT THAT TIME CTR GIVES US DIRECT TO PHILLIPSBURG. I FEEL THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THERE BEEN MORE ATTN DURING THE BRIEFING. I ALSO FEEL THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME WHAT HE WAS CHANGING MY RADIO FREQ TO WHEN HE SWITCHED IT. THIS ENTIRE FLT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF NO COM FROM THE CAPT.

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.