DC9 flight crew deviates from cleared route in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	422010
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ood
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	422010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure from dca we were navigating on the smyrna 271 degree radial. Center gave us a vector 20 degrees (or 30 degrees) to the right. A min or so later, he cleared us direct woodstown (ood) VOR. I turned back to the left and proceeded direct, but I forgot to dial in ood, so I was actually proceeding for a min or 2 toward smyrna. We caught the error a few seconds before center called us. He informed us we were off course. We requested direct robinsville and he approved it. The controller didn't say anything about any potential conflicts and we saw no traffic visually or on the TCASII, but I thought I would fill this form out anyway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLC DEVIATES FROM CLRED RTE IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM DCA WE WERE NAVING ON THE SMYRNA 271 DEG RADIAL. CTR GAVE US A VECTOR 20 DEGS (OR 30 DEGS) TO THE R. A MIN OR SO LATER, HE CLRED US DIRECT WOODSTOWN (OOD) VOR. I TURNED BACK TO THE L AND PROCEEDED DIRECT, BUT I FORGOT TO DIAL IN OOD, SO I WAS ACTUALLY PROCEEDING FOR A MIN OR 2 TOWARD SMYRNA. WE CAUGHT THE ERROR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE CTR CALLED US. HE INFORMED US WE WERE OFF COURSE. WE REQUESTED DIRECT ROBINSVILLE AND HE APPROVED IT. THE CTLR DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND WE SAW NO TFC VISUALLY OR ON THE TCASII, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD FILL THIS FORM OUT ANYWAY.

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.