G2 crew had track deviation after being cleared direct elliot intersection.

Attributes
ACN	464300
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Gulfstream II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1950
ASRS Report	464300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After a considerably busy departure with a lot of vectoring and altitude changes and communication I was cleared direct elliot intersection and I touched the 'direct to' button and entered etx which was the fix following elliot. This was just a mistaken entry that neither crew member caught. The controller asked what was my heading for elliot and the PNF responded what we were flying and he gave us a 30 degree turn to correct. I don't believe there were any conflicts and no further conversation took place but we did discover the error at that time. I believe I saw the 'et' for east texas VOR as 'et' for elliot and simply made a mistake. But one of us should have caught it earlier. This hasn't happened to me in a long time. I guess we just got busy or missed it once. A good heads up lesson for us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: G2 CREW HAD TRACK DEV AFTER BEING CLRED DIRECT ELLIOT INTXN.

Narrative: AFTER A CONSIDERABLY BUSY DEP WITH A LOT OF VECTORING AND ALT CHANGES AND COM I WAS CLRED DIRECT ELLIOT INTXN AND I TOUCHED THE 'DIRECT TO' BUTTON AND ENTERED ETX WHICH WAS THE FIX FOLLOWING ELLIOT. THIS WAS JUST A MISTAKEN ENTRY THAT NEITHER CREW MEMBER CAUGHT. THE CTLR ASKED WHAT WAS MY HEADING FOR ELLIOT AND THE PNF RESPONDED WHAT WE WERE FLYING AND HE GAVE US A 30 DEG TURN TO CORRECT. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE ANY CONFLICTS AND NO FURTHER CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE BUT WE DID DISCOVER THE ERROR AT THAT TIME. I BELIEVE I SAW THE 'ET' FOR EAST TEXAS VOR AS 'ET' FOR ELLIOT AND SIMPLY MADE A MISTAKE. BUT ONE OF US SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT EARLIER. THIS HASN'T HAPPENED TO ME IN A LONG TIME. I GUESS WE JUST GOT BUSY OR MISSED IT ONCE. A GOOD HEADS UP LESSON FOR US.

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.