ARTCC controller has pilot question ATC clearance direct las vegas, nv (las), or las vegas, NM (lvs)...

Attributes
ACN	397081
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : las
State Reference	NV
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	397081
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Although this problem has been ongoing for a long time, this specific occurrence I am writing about occurred with air carrier X who was cleared via lax loop SID dag.las.J76, then points beyond. I cleared air carrier X direct to las vegas and the pilot questioned whether I meant las, nv. I stated affirmative, then checked the overhead map and discovered J76 also went over lvs (las vegas, NM). If this aircraft had turned towards lvs, it would have taken them into another sector without coordination, that constantly has opposite direction traffic descending into lax and other area airports. Frequently on the sector I was working, we clear aircraft to las vegas -- intending las. I was not aware of where J76 went, but will be much more vigilant in the future. Any aircraft turning east into descending traffic without coordination could cause a serious incident, even though there was no error in this situation. This could be resolved simply by renaming one of these vors. It is not uncommon for us to have a VOR's name changed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR HAS PLT QUESTION ATC CLRNC DIRECT LAS VEGAS, NV (LAS), OR LAS VEGAS, NM (LVS). CTLR WANTS LAS. CTLR INVESTIGATES TO FIND J76 RUNS THROUGH BOTH VORTACS AND IS NOW AWARE OF POTENTIAL PROB IN NOT CLARIFYING WHICH NAVAID TO CLR ACFT TO.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH THIS PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A LONG TIME, THIS SPECIFIC OCCURRENCE I AM WRITING ABOUT OCCURRED WITH ACR X WHO WAS CLRED VIA LAX LOOP SID DAG.LAS.J76, THEN POINTS BEYOND. I CLRED ACR X DIRECT TO LAS VEGAS AND THE PLT QUESTIONED WHETHER I MEANT LAS, NV. I STATED AFFIRMATIVE, THEN CHKED THE OVERHEAD MAP AND DISCOVERED J76 ALSO WENT OVER LVS (LAS VEGAS, NM). IF THIS ACFT HAD TURNED TOWARDS LVS, IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THEM INTO ANOTHER SECTOR WITHOUT COORD, THAT CONSTANTLY HAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC DSNDING INTO LAX AND OTHER AREA ARPTS. FREQUENTLY ON THE SECTOR I WAS WORKING, WE CLR ACFT TO LAS VEGAS -- INTENDING LAS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF WHERE J76 WENT, BUT WILL BE MUCH MORE VIGILANT IN THE FUTURE. ANY ACFT TURNING E INTO DSNDING TFC WITHOUT COORD COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO ERROR IN THIS SIT. THIS COULD BE RESOLVED SIMPLY BY RENAMING ONE OF THESE VORS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO HAVE A VOR'S NAME CHANGED.

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.

ARTCC controller has pilot question ATC clearance direct las vegas, nv (las), or las vegas, NM (lvs). Controller wants las. Controller investigates to find J76 runs through both vortacs and is now aware of potential problem in not clarifying which NAVAID to clear aircraft to.