Medium large transport intercepted the 270 degree radial off msp instead of gep as they should have.

Attributes
ACN	82220
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	82220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	82573
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared the minneapolis 3 departure to intercept J70 wbound, and I was doing an excellent job of intercepting until told by departure that J70 was off of gopher 117.3, not minneapolis 115.3. I had studied the departure for 10 mins and it is a simple one, but I somehow overlooked the frequency difference. Looking at it later, the frequency for msp is right next to J70 and I believe I fixated on that. Something else that helped is the departure for msp is called the msp 3 departure, but all jet routes are off of gopher VOR. They are (msp 115.3 and gep 117.3) close enough in frequency to confuse. If it was called the gopher 3 departure, you would realize you were going to intercept a jet route off of gopher, not msp.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG INTERCEPTED THE 270 DEGREE RADIAL OFF MSP INSTEAD OF GEP AS THEY SHOULD HAVE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED THE MINNEAPOLIS 3 DEP TO INTERCEPT J70 WBOUND, AND I WAS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF INTERCEPTING UNTIL TOLD BY DEP THAT J70 WAS OFF OF GOPHER 117.3, NOT MINNEAPOLIS 115.3. I HAD STUDIED THE DEP FOR 10 MINS AND IT IS A SIMPLE ONE, BUT I SOMEHOW OVERLOOKED THE FREQ DIFFERENCE. LOOKING AT IT LATER, THE FREQ FOR MSP IS RIGHT NEXT TO J70 AND I BELIEVE I FIXATED ON THAT. SOMETHING ELSE THAT HELPED IS THE DEP FOR MSP IS CALLED THE MSP 3 DEP, BUT ALL JET ROUTES ARE OFF OF GOPHER VOR. THEY ARE (MSP 115.3 AND GEP 117.3) CLOSE ENOUGH IN FREQ TO CONFUSE. IF IT WAS CALLED THE GOPHER 3 DEP, YOU WOULD REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO INTERCEPT A JET ROUTE OFF OF GOPHER, NOT MSP.

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.