Narrative:

Departed dca on runway 1. Made an early turn to the left to join the 328 degree radial as per departure procedure. We had the dca VOR frequency in standby, not in active. We had had the frequency in active originally at the gate, but apparently while programming the FMS the frequency was kicked out of active to standby with the automatic-tune function of the FMS. We discussed turning a little more to the left to join the radial after departure due to the winds from '30/08.' while climbing out, we stayed on the west side of the river but the course was not coming in as we expected. At around 3500 ft MSL we went IMC, with course not coming in we ended up on a 350 degree heading, to join the 328 degree radial. With the incorrect frequency in, it was not coming in. ATC asked our heading. I responded with 350 degrees. ATC gave us left to 250 degrees due to us getting close to P56. To prevent recurrence will doublechk frequency prior to pushback and at end of runway. Better vigilance. Supplemental information from acn 573141: departure control asked us what our heading was, and the captain responded. The controller then asked 'where did you get that?' contributing factors were multiple, different departure procedures, late change of PF designation (just prior to pushback), an automated system which changes radio frequencys, and poor pilot monitoring of active NAVAID tuning. On subsequent flts into dca, the captain and I agreed to verify and identify active navaids during the line-up check.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV PLACES A CL65 IN PROX OF PROHIBITED AREA WHEN THE FLC FAILS TO UTILIZE THE NAV CAPABILITY OF THE VOR AFTER TKOF FROM DCA, DC.

Narrative: DEPARTED DCA ON RWY 1. MADE AN EARLY TURN TO THE L TO JOIN THE 328 DEG RADIAL AS PER DEP PROC. WE HAD THE DCA VOR FREQ IN STANDBY, NOT IN ACTIVE. WE HAD HAD THE FREQ IN ACTIVE ORIGINALLY AT THE GATE, BUT APPARENTLY WHILE PROGRAMMING THE FMS THE FREQ WAS KICKED OUT OF ACTIVE TO STANDBY WITH THE AUTO-TUNE FUNCTION OF THE FMS. WE DISCUSSED TURNING A LITTLE MORE TO THE L TO JOIN THE RADIAL AFTER DEP DUE TO THE WINDS FROM '30/08.' WHILE CLBING OUT, WE STAYED ON THE W SIDE OF THE RIVER BUT THE COURSE WAS NOT COMING IN AS WE EXPECTED. AT AROUND 3500 FT MSL WE WENT IMC, WITH COURSE NOT COMING IN WE ENDED UP ON A 350 DEG HDG, TO JOIN THE 328 DEG RADIAL. WITH THE INCORRECT FREQ IN, IT WAS NOT COMING IN. ATC ASKED OUR HDG. I RESPONDED WITH 350 DEGS. ATC GAVE US L TO 250 DEGS DUE TO US GETTING CLOSE TO P56. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE WILL DOUBLECHK FREQ PRIOR TO PUSHBACK AND AT END OF RWY. BETTER VIGILANCE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 573141: DEP CTL ASKED US WHAT OUR HDG WAS, AND THE CAPT RESPONDED. THE CTLR THEN ASKED 'WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE MULTIPLE, DIFFERENT DEP PROCS, LATE CHANGE OF PF DESIGNATION (JUST PRIOR TO PUSHBACK), AN AUTOMATED SYS WHICH CHANGES RADIO FREQS, AND POOR PLT MONITORING OF ACTIVE NAVAID TUNING. ON SUBSEQUENT FLTS INTO DCA, THE CAPT AND I AGREED TO VERIFY AND IDENT ACTIVE NAVAIDS DURING THE LINE-UP CHK.

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.