Track deviation, an air carrier crew followed the wrong flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	314979
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 205 flight time total : 9980 flight time type : 4850
ASRS Report	314979
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	314981
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Received release #1 approximately 1 hour prior to departure tpa. While in cockpit, 20 mins prior to departure, we were advised of a fuel load increase of 1200 pounds. I contacted dispatch through station operations and was given amended release #2 -- 'only change in fuel load,' with dispatcher's name and time. In fact, a new 'release #1' had been generated (but not given to crew), then a change in fuel load to that release occurred. Dispatcher 'X' sent first 'original' release. Dispatcher 'Y' was unaware that release had been generated and started from scratch. The flight plan on the 'Y' release was a different routing, and was not discovered until ARTCC noted a significant deviation in their route versus our route. There was no conflict. Problem originated with a shift change in dispatchers, and was not caught by crew because clearance was 'as filed' with initial departure the same. Deviation between the 2 flight plans did not happen until 49 mins after takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV, AN ACR CREW FOLLOWED THE WRONG FLT PLAN.

Narrative: RECEIVED RELEASE #1 APPROX 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP TPA. WHILE IN COCKPIT, 20 MINS PRIOR TO DEP, WE WERE ADVISED OF A FUEL LOAD INCREASE OF 1200 LBS. I CONTACTED DISPATCH THROUGH STATION OPS AND WAS GIVEN AMENDED RELEASE #2 -- 'ONLY CHANGE IN FUEL LOAD,' WITH DISPATCHER'S NAME AND TIME. IN FACT, A NEW 'RELEASE #1' HAD BEEN GENERATED (BUT NOT GIVEN TO CREW), THEN A CHANGE IN FUEL LOAD TO THAT RELEASE OCCURRED. DISPATCHER 'X' SENT FIRST 'ORIGINAL' RELEASE. DISPATCHER 'Y' WAS UNAWARE THAT RELEASE HAD BEEN GENERATED AND STARTED FROM SCRATCH. THE FLT PLAN ON THE 'Y' RELEASE WAS A DIFFERENT ROUTING, AND WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL ARTCC NOTED A SIGNIFICANT DEV IN THEIR RTE VERSUS OUR RTE. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. PROB ORIGINATED WITH A SHIFT CHANGE IN DISPATCHERS, AND WAS NOT CAUGHT BY CREW BECAUSE CLRNC WAS 'AS FILED' WITH INITIAL DEP THE SAME. DEV BTWN THE 2 FLT PLANS DID NOT HAPPEN UNTIL 49 MINS AFTER TKOF.

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.