Narrative:

While pushing back nrt clearance called to issue clearance. Captain was busy talking to the tug operator so I (first officer) copied and read back the clearance on my own. The clearance appeared to be the same as the ICAO flight plan although upon later examination there was an important change. The ICAO flight plan read: cleared to dtw via choshi two departure otr 11 kagis direct pabba direct acont flight plan routes. Our clearance from narita clearance read: cleared to dtw via cheshi two departure otr 11 kagis direct abets the flight plan route. Through no one's fault but mine, I did not verify this on the legs page of the CDU which led to our approximately 10 mi deviation off course. After takeoff the controller cleared us to cvc VOR then fpr. After passing kagis we proceeded to pabba not abets as our clearance read. The controller called and said to proceed direct abets which we did. At this point I realized what had happened and informed the captain as to my mistake. I estimate we were 10 mi off course (the line between kagis and abets). To avoid this in the future: 1) clrncs should be given 5 mins before pushback not at or during pushback, to avoid rushing. 2) pilots be extra careful for those small but important changes. 3) controllers make sure to let the pilots know they are receiving a different clearance than what they are expecting (flight plan).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TRACK HEADING DEVIATION STARTING EXTENDED OVERWATER OPERATION.

Narrative: WHILE PUSHING BACK NRT CLRNC CALLED TO ISSUE CLRNC. CAPT WAS BUSY TALKING TO THE TUG OPERATOR SO I (F/O) COPIED AND READ BACK THE CLRNC ON MY OWN. THE CLRNC APPEARED TO BE THE SAME AS THE ICAO FLT PLAN ALTHOUGH UPON LATER EXAMINATION THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT CHANGE. THE ICAO FLT PLAN READ: CLRED TO DTW VIA CHOSHI TWO DEP OTR 11 KAGIS DIRECT PABBA DIRECT ACONT FLT PLAN ROUTES. OUR CLRNC FROM NARITA CLRNC READ: CLRED TO DTW VIA CHESHI TWO DEP OTR 11 KAGIS DIRECT ABETS THE FLT PLAN ROUTE. THROUGH NO ONE'S FAULT BUT MINE, I DID NOT VERIFY THIS ON THE LEGS PAGE OF THE CDU WHICH LED TO OUR APPROX 10 MI DEVIATION OFF COURSE. AFTER TKOF THE CTLR CLRED US TO CVC VOR THEN FPR. AFTER PASSING KAGIS WE PROCEEDED TO PABBA NOT ABETS AS OUR CLRNC READ. THE CTLR CALLED AND SAID TO PROCEED DIRECT ABETS WHICH WE DID. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND INFORMED THE CAPT AS TO MY MISTAKE. I ESTIMATE WE WERE 10 MI OFF COURSE (THE LINE BETWEEN KAGIS AND ABETS). TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE: 1) CLRNCS SHOULD BE GIVEN 5 MINS BEFORE PUSHBACK NOT AT OR DURING PUSHBACK, TO AVOID RUSHING. 2) PLTS BE EXTRA CAREFUL FOR THOSE SMALL BUT IMPORTANT CHANGES. 3) CTLRS MAKE SURE TO LET THE PLTS KNOW THEY ARE RECEIVING A DIFFERENT CLRNC THAN WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTING (FLT PLAN).

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.