B737. First officer incorrectly programmed FMC.

Attributes
ACN	412570
Time
Date	199808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sit
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	412570
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
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
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC indicated clearance limit was cluck intersection, due to departing traffic at sitka, which I explained to the copilot, to whom I was giving IOE. He apparently thought he heard ATC say 'cleared direct cluck' versus 'cleared to cluck.' he put direct cluck in the FMC without saying anything and I missed the change. A short time later (5 mins) ATC informed us we were on the wrong airway which happened to coincide with our direct routing. No conflict with other traffic, but it took a while to sort out the mistake since I was quite sure the correct routing was in the box and couldn't figure out why a waypoint (lyric) had disappeared. Throw in a short leg, jnu-situation, bad WX, turbulence, approach to minimums, new copilot, and the potential for confusion rapidly increases. Lessons learned: 1) cleared to a fix doesn't necessarily mean cleared direct. 2) verbalize and xchk each other when making changes to the box (FMC). 3) when in doubt -- ask.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737. FO INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED FMC.

Narrative: ATC INDICATED CLRNC LIMIT WAS CLUCK INTXN, DUE TO DEPARTING TFC AT SITKA, WHICH I EXPLAINED TO THE COPLT, TO WHOM I WAS GIVING IOE. HE APPARENTLY THOUGHT HE HEARD ATC SAY 'CLRED DIRECT CLUCK' VERSUS 'CLRED TO CLUCK.' HE PUT DIRECT CLUCK IN THE FMC WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING AND I MISSED THE CHANGE. A SHORT TIME LATER (5 MINS) ATC INFORMED US WE WERE ON THE WRONG AIRWAY WHICH HAPPENED TO COINCIDE WITH OUR DIRECT ROUTING. NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC, BUT IT TOOK A WHILE TO SORT OUT THE MISTAKE SINCE I WAS QUITE SURE THE CORRECT ROUTING WAS IN THE BOX AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY A WAYPOINT (LYRIC) HAD DISAPPEARED. THROW IN A SHORT LEG, JNU-SIT, BAD WX, TURB, APCH TO MINIMUMS, NEW COPLT, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFUSION RAPIDLY INCREASES. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) CLRED TO A FIX DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN CLRED DIRECT. 2) VERBALIZE AND XCHK EACH OTHER WHEN MAKING CHANGES TO THE BOX (FMC). 3) WHEN IN DOUBT -- ASK.

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.