Navigation error when the FMC was misprogrammed 'meads' instead of 'MEAD8' SID.

Attributes
ACN	252498
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	252498
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

PF (first officer) misread flight plan routing as 'klas.meads.pgs.J72...' instead of 'klas.MEAD8.pgs.J72...' and loaded FMS accordingly. Upon receipt of pre departure clearance clearance, pilot selected MEAD8 departure in FMS. When resolving route discontinuity in FMS routing, pilot retained 'meads' in routing, and inadvertently deleted 'kaddy' intersection on the departure. Thus, the aircraft flew several mi north of desired departure routing. (Flew bld direct meads direct pgs, but cleared bld direct MEAD8 direct pgs). Since 'meads' and 'MEAD8' look very similar in computer typed strips, I suggest changing the name of meads intersection or change the name of the MEAD8 departure to avoid confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAV ERROR WHEN THE FMC WAS MISPROGRAMMED 'MEADS' INSTEAD OF 'MEAD8' SID.

Narrative: PF (FO) MISREAD FLT PLAN ROUTING AS 'KLAS.MEADS.PGS.J72...' INSTEAD OF 'KLAS.MEAD8.PGS.J72...' AND LOADED FMS ACCORDINGLY. UPON RECEIPT OF PDC CLRNC, PLT SELECTED MEAD8 DEP IN FMS. WHEN RESOLVING RTE DISCONTINUITY IN FMS ROUTING, PLT RETAINED 'MEADS' IN ROUTING, AND INADVERTENTLY DELETED 'KADDY' INTXN ON THE DEP. THUS, THE ACFT FLEW SEVERAL MI N OF DESIRED DEP ROUTING. (FLEW BLD DIRECT MEADS DIRECT PGS, BUT CLRED BLD DIRECT MEAD8 DIRECT PGS). SINCE 'MEADS' AND 'MEAD8' LOOK VERY SIMILAR IN COMPUTER TYPED STRIPS, I SUGGEST CHANGING THE NAME OF MEADS INTXN OR CHANGE THE NAME OF THE MEAD8 DEP TO AVOID CONFUSION.

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.