Narrative:

The situation occurred after leveloff at 10000 ft during climb out from phl on the last leg of a 4 leg, 10 hour 11 min duty day. Our first fix was mxe VOR. After passing mxe VOR, ZNY issued a heading to us until intercepting J48, climb clearance to a higher altitude and to look for traffic and asked us if we had the traffic visually, which we did have visually. In the process of looking for the traffic, commencing climb from 10000 ft, I didn't ascertain that the correct VOR was reset in my navigation radio. Later, ZNY inquired about our position and that time I discovered we were east of the airway and the correct VOR was not being utilized. The timing of the event was just a few mins. Since this occurrence, I have both pilots confirm the correct VOR and course are set in the navigation radios.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DC9 FAILED TO TURN ON THE AIRWAY DURING DEP CLB AS ASSIGNED DUE TO FORGETTING TO RESET HIS VOR NAV RADIO TO THE VOR NEEDED FOR THE AIRWAY.

Narrative: THE SIT OCCURRED AFTER LEVELOFF AT 10000 FT DURING CLBOUT FROM PHL ON THE LAST LEG OF A 4 LEG, 10 HR 11 MIN DUTY DAY. OUR FIRST FIX WAS MXE VOR. AFTER PASSING MXE VOR, ZNY ISSUED A HDG TO US UNTIL INTERCEPTING J48, CLB CLRNC TO A HIGHER ALT AND TO LOOK FOR TFC AND ASKED US IF WE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY, WHICH WE DID HAVE VISUALLY. IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR THE TFC, COMMENCING CLB FROM 10000 FT, I DIDN'T ASCERTAIN THAT THE CORRECT VOR WAS RESET IN MY NAV RADIO. LATER, ZNY INQUIRED ABOUT OUR POS AND THAT TIME I DISCOVERED WE WERE E OF THE AIRWAY AND THE CORRECT VOR WAS NOT BEING UTILIZED. THE TIMING OF THE EVENT WAS JUST A FEW MINS. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE, I HAVE BOTH PLTS CONFIRM THE CORRECT VOR AND COURSE ARE SET IN THE NAV RADIOS.

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.