<< >> NASA ASRS Report 326610, January 1996

Flight crew of an large transport deviated from assigned SID track due to mis-programming their FMC, resulting in ATC intervention to bring them back to course.

Attributes
ACN	326610
Time
Date	199601
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sxc airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	326610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our clearance on departure from sna was 'musel 5 departure heading 175 degrees to intercept the sxc 084 degree radial to sxc direct vtu as filed.' my mistake was selecting SXC17 in the FMC, which of course was not the sxc VOR, but rather a fix east of the VOR which is on the departure route. The sxc VOR is not on the departure route or in the FMC. At the SXC17 fix we turned direct to vtu. Fortunately the controller saw us turn toward vtu and turned us back to the west and stopped our climb at 13500 ft MSL. When the controller turned us back to the west, there was a B747 climbing out of 14400 ft at our 1 O'clock position and at least 3 to 4 mi away. I don't believe we created a conflict. Why did I select SXC17 and not enter sxc? I think I was too preoccupied with the sna noise abatement procedure and just saw sxc, not SXC17, and selected it. I even remember thinking there are five characters, but it didn't register that this is wrong.

Related reports:

• Flight crew of an large transport failed to follow their SID...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED SID TRACK DUE TO MIS-PROGRAMMING THEIR FMC, RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION TO BRING THEM BACK TO COURSE.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC ON DEP FROM SNA WAS 'MUSEL 5 DEP HDG 175 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE SXC 084 DEG RADIAL TO SXC DIRECT VTU AS FILED.' MY MISTAKE WAS SELECTING SXC17 IN THE FMC, WHICH OF COURSE WAS NOT THE SXC VOR, BUT RATHER A FIX E OF THE VOR WHICH IS ON THE DEP RTE. THE SXC VOR IS NOT ON THE DEP RTE OR IN THE FMC. AT THE SXC17 FIX WE TURNED DIRECT TO VTU. FORTUNATELY THE CTLR SAW US TURN TOWARD VTU AND TURNED US BACK TO THE W AND STOPPED OUR CLB AT 13500 FT MSL. WHEN THE CTLR TURNED US BACK TO THE W, THERE WAS A B747 CLBING OUT OF 14400 FT AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND AT LEAST 3 TO 4 MI AWAY. I DON'T BELIEVE WE CREATED A CONFLICT. WHY DID I SELECT SXC17 AND NOT ENTER SXC? I THINK I WAS TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH THE SNA NOISE ABATEMENT PROC AND JUST SAW SXC, NOT SXC17, AND SELECTED IT. I EVEN REMEMBER THINKING THERE ARE FIVE CHARACTERS, BUT IT DIDN'T REGISTER THAT THIS IS WRONG.

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.