Flight crew tried to fly an impossible routing that was given by bwi ground control.

Attributes
ACN	297890
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml airport : bwi
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 960
ASRS Report	297890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Original clearance departure bwi runway 28-buffr-J518 ihd-air-ape-J30 whett J64 fmn J10-lax. Immediately prior to takeoff routing changed to aml J149 whett, etc. We entered it in the FMC and it showed aml direct whett (whett's not on J149). After takeoff we were vectored 210 degrees, then 260 degrees to intercept J149. We tried direct intercept 299 degrees to whett. Ended up 4 NM north of J149. Got a clearance direct geffs then on course. We should have caught initial error. Clearance should have read aml-J149-fwa-J64-whett flight plan route. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a west coast based captain flying from bwi for a major united states air carrier. He finds that the airways in the bwi area are 'like a maze' and 'like a bowl of spaghetti.' he believes that life would be simpler if the ground controller had given the identify letters as well as the name of the vors that he was to fly over. The crew accepted the new routing at the very last min before takeoff with the idea that they would have time in the air to find the new routing. The reporter is disappointed that ATC would give a routing that is incorrect and therefore impossible to fly without modification.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TRIED TO FLY AN IMPOSSIBLE ROUTING THAT WAS GIVEN BY BWI GND CTL.

Narrative: ORIGINAL CLRNC DEP BWI RWY 28-BUFFR-J518 IHD-AIR-APE-J30 WHETT J64 FMN J10-LAX. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO TKOF ROUTING CHANGED TO AML J149 WHETT, ETC. WE ENTERED IT IN THE FMC AND IT SHOWED AML DIRECT WHETT (WHETT'S NOT ON J149). AFTER TKOF WE WERE VECTORED 210 DEGS, THEN 260 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J149. WE TRIED DIRECT INTERCEPT 299 DEGS TO WHETT. ENDED UP 4 NM N OF J149. GOT A CLRNC DIRECT GEFFS THEN ON COURSE. WE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT INITIAL ERROR. CLRNC SHOULD HAVE READ AML-J149-FWA-J64-WHETT FLT PLAN RTE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A WEST COAST BASED CAPT FLYING FROM BWI FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR. HE FINDS THAT THE AIRWAYS IN THE BWI AREA ARE 'LIKE A MAZE' AND 'LIKE A BOWL OF SPAGHETTI.' HE BELIEVES THAT LIFE WOULD BE SIMPLER IF THE GND CTLR HAD GIVEN THE IDENT LETTERS AS WELL AS THE NAME OF THE VORS THAT HE WAS TO FLY OVER. THE CREW ACCEPTED THE NEW ROUTING AT THE VERY LAST MIN BEFORE TKOF WITH THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TIME IN THE AIR TO FIND THE NEW ROUTING. THE RPTR IS DISAPPOINTED THAT ATC WOULD GIVE A ROUTING THAT IS INCORRECT AND THEREFORE IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY WITHOUT MODIFICATION.

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.