Heavy transport aircraft captain reported a navigation error due to similar sounding waypoints copes...

Attributes
ACN	1653608
Time
Date	201906
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	JFK.Airport
State Reference	NY
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

We were given what we [heard was] clearance direct to copes intersection. Pilot monitoring read back clearance 'direct copes' and selected copes intersection on the right CDU. I confirmed and we proceeded to the intersection. Later departure gave us a heading of 320 degree and advised that we had been cleared direct to coate intersection. We then proceeded as directed.suggestions: having two intersections with similar sounding names is a problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Heavy Transport aircraft Captain reported a navigation error due to similar sounding waypoints COPES and COATE.

Narrative: We were given what we [heard was] clearance direct to COPES Intersection. Pilot monitoring read back clearance 'direct COPES' and selected COPES Intersection on the right CDU. I confirmed and we proceeded to the intersection. Later departure gave us a heading of 320 degree and advised that we had been cleared direct to COATE Intersection. We then proceeded as directed.Suggestions: Having two intersections with similar sounding names is a problem.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Heavy transport aircraft captain reported a navigation error due to similar sounding waypoints copes and coate.