Narrative:

Following a change in our routing, we were cleared to the merced VOR followed by the merced 4 arrival to sjc. We were also cleared to descend to a lower altitude and maintain an assigned airspeed. I set up the navaids and flight guidance system to accomplish this. Shortly thereafter, the controller assigned us a right turn and a vector to intercept the merced 4 arrival outbnd from the merced VOR. I acknowledged the controller's instructions and rolled out on the assigned heading. I informed the captain of our new instructions. The captain (PNF) initiated the change over request for landing data and also began copying the ATIS information. Due to the fact that the ATIS information was transmitted on a VOR frequency, the captain did not have the merced 4 arrival tuned in at that time. As we were now entering the lower altitude structure, I was looking outside for other traffic and noticed an aircraft at our 12 O'clock position. I looked left and saw the town of merced, ca. As I directed my attention forward again, I toggled up the ATIS information to monitor which landing runway was going to be used at sjc. My attention was momentarily diverted by listening to the ATIS broadcast clearing for other aircraft and monitoring my descent and level off altitude. I failed to notice that I had passed through the outbnd 238 degree right off the merced VOR. The ATC controller contacted us and informed us that we were well past the outbnd right and needed to turn right to intercept. I immediately initiated a right turn to intercept. We were then handed off to bay approach control and assigned a vector direct to sjc. Supplemental information from acn 81285: copilot was flying at the time and set up the right out. I was changing over for sjc and making a passenger announcement when the instructions were issued. I then had to tune in sjc on 114.1 for ATIS. The controller called just as I finished copying ATIS and informed us we were past the right and issued a radar vector to sjc. Because sjc ATIS is on the VOR frequency I did not have my navigation available to me while copying ATIS. I believe sjc should use another frequency for ATIS. Also, it is impossible to receive sjc ATIS any further out because route forecasts are being broadcast on that frequency from hazen VOR. In a 2 person crew aircraft, it is important to get organized early (ie, ATIS, change over, passenger announcements) in order to be able to maintain a traffic watch outside, especially when arriving at a busy airport like sjc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACR OVERSHOT MERCED 238 DEGREE RADIAL ON MERCED 4 ARR TO SJC. PIC BLAMES INABILITY TO NAVIGATE ON MERCED VOR WHILE RECEIVING SJC ATIS.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN OUR ROUTING, WE WERE CLRED TO THE MERCED VOR FOLLOWED BY THE MERCED 4 ARR TO SJC. WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT AND MAINTAIN AN ASSIGNED AIRSPD. I SET UP THE NAVAIDS AND FLT GUIDANCE SYS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CTLR ASSIGNED US A RIGHT TURN AND A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE MERCED 4 ARR OUTBND FROM THE MERCED VOR. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS AND ROLLED OUT ON THE ASSIGNED HDG. I INFORMED THE CAPT OF OUR NEW INSTRUCTIONS. THE CAPT (PNF) INITIATED THE CHANGE OVER REQUEST FOR LNDG DATA AND ALSO BEGAN COPYING THE ATIS INFO. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ATIS INFO WAS XMITTED ON A VOR FREQ, THE CAPT DID NOT HAVE THE MERCED 4 ARR TUNED IN AT THAT TIME. AS WE WERE NOW ENTERING THE LOWER ALT STRUCTURE, I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR OTHER TFC AND NOTICED AN ACFT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. I LOOKED LEFT AND SAW THE TOWN OF MERCED, CA. AS I DIRECTED MY ATTN FORWARD AGAIN, I TOGGLED UP THE ATIS INFO TO MONITOR WHICH LNDG RWY WAS GOING TO BE USED AT SJC. MY ATTN WAS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED BY LISTENING TO THE ATIS BROADCAST CLRING FOR OTHER ACFT AND MONITORING MY DSCNT AND LEVEL OFF ALT. I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT I HAD PASSED THROUGH THE OUTBND 238 DEG R OFF THE MERCED VOR. THE ATC CTLR CONTACTED US AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE WELL PAST THE OUTBND R AND NEEDED TO TURN RIGHT TO INTERCEPT. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO INTERCEPT. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO BAY APCH CTL AND ASSIGNED A VECTOR DIRECT TO SJC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 81285: COPLT WAS FLYING AT THE TIME AND SET UP THE R OUT. I WAS CHANGING OVER FOR SJC AND MAKING A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED. I THEN HAD TO TUNE IN SJC ON 114.1 FOR ATIS. THE CTLR CALLED JUST AS I FINISHED COPYING ATIS AND INFORMED US WE WERE PAST THE R AND ISSUED A RADAR VECTOR TO SJC. BECAUSE SJC ATIS IS ON THE VOR FREQ I DID NOT HAVE MY NAV AVAILABLE TO ME WHILE COPYING ATIS. I BELIEVE SJC SHOULD USE ANOTHER FREQ FOR ATIS. ALSO, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RECEIVE SJC ATIS ANY FURTHER OUT BECAUSE ROUTE FORECASTS ARE BEING BROADCAST ON THAT FREQ FROM HAZEN VOR. IN A 2 PERSON CREW ACFT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET ORGANIZED EARLY (IE, ATIS, CHANGE OVER, PAX ANNOUNCEMENTS) IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A TFC WATCH OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN ARRIVING AT A BUSY ARPT LIKE SJC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.