Narrative:

During our initial approach into ont we received the following clearance, proceed direct to the petis NDB, maintain 4200 ft to petis, cleared ILS runway 26L approach. While my first officer was reading back the clearance I entered direct 'FF26L' into the FMC and proceeded to fly inbound. A few mins later approach control called and said we were 4 NM left of petis and to turn right to a 320 degree heading, maintain 4200 ft. At this point I realized that I had been flying direct to the OM (fonta) instead of petis NDB. We then received another approach clearance and continued uneventfully to the airport. We were in VFR conditions the entire time and never had any traffic or terrain conflicts. The FMS navigation data base lists the OM (fonta) as FF26L instead of just fonta. Most NDB's are collocated with the OM, referred to as LOM's. Human factors being what they are, I saw FF26L and used that waypoint thinking at that moment they were collocated and I was flying to petis. Actually they are about 5 NM apart. If the FMS had shown fonta as the OM waypoint instead of FF26L I think it would have been clear that they are in fact 2 different points. There doesn't seem to be any consistency with the FMS approach data base. Some approachs show the OM name and others use the ff (final fix) format. They should all use the correct fix names. Adding to the confusion the approach database shows petis as sbnb. Our SOP dictates the PNF make all executable entries to the FMS. This keeps both pilots 'in the loop.' I was hand flying and since we were very busy at the time, I made the entry to save time. Following SOP may have prevented the mix-up. Follow SOP and stay alert, and please make the data bases more user friendly!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISPROGRAMMED FMS FOR WRONG FIX. CTLR INTERVENED.

Narrative: DURING OUR INITIAL APCH INTO ONT WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC, PROCEED DIRECT TO THE PETIS NDB, MAINTAIN 4200 FT TO PETIS, CLRED ILS RWY 26L APCH. WHILE MY FO WAS READING BACK THE CLRNC I ENTERED DIRECT 'FF26L' INTO THE FMC AND PROCEEDED TO FLY INBOUND. A FEW MINS LATER APCH CTL CALLED AND SAID WE WERE 4 NM L OF PETIS AND TO TURN R TO A 320 DEG HDG, MAINTAIN 4200 FT. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT I HAD BEEN FLYING DIRECT TO THE OM (FONTA) INSTEAD OF PETIS NDB. WE THEN RECEIVED ANOTHER APCH CLRNC AND CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO THE ARPT. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS THE ENTIRE TIME AND NEVER HAD ANY TFC OR TERRAIN CONFLICTS. THE FMS NAV DATA BASE LISTS THE OM (FONTA) AS FF26L INSTEAD OF JUST FONTA. MOST NDB'S ARE COLLOCATED WITH THE OM, REFERRED TO AS LOM'S. HUMAN FACTORS BEING WHAT THEY ARE, I SAW FF26L AND USED THAT WAYPOINT THINKING AT THAT MOMENT THEY WERE COLLOCATED AND I WAS FLYING TO PETIS. ACTUALLY THEY ARE ABOUT 5 NM APART. IF THE FMS HAD SHOWN FONTA AS THE OM WAYPOINT INSTEAD OF FF26L I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLR THAT THEY ARE IN FACT 2 DIFFERENT POINTS. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONSISTENCY WITH THE FMS APCH DATA BASE. SOME APCHS SHOW THE OM NAME AND OTHERS USE THE FF (FINAL FIX) FORMAT. THEY SHOULD ALL USE THE CORRECT FIX NAMES. ADDING TO THE CONFUSION THE APCH DATABASE SHOWS PETIS AS SBNB. OUR SOP DICTATES THE PNF MAKE ALL EXECUTABLE ENTRIES TO THE FMS. THIS KEEPS BOTH PLTS 'IN THE LOOP.' I WAS HAND FLYING AND SINCE WE WERE VERY BUSY AT THE TIME, I MADE THE ENTRY TO SAVE TIME. FOLLOWING SOP MAY HAVE PREVENTED THE MIX-UP. FOLLOW SOP AND STAY ALERT, AND PLEASE MAKE THE DATA BASES MORE USER FRIENDLY!

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.