<< >> NASA ASRS Report 578288, April 2003

Reporter advises similar spelling and sounds of two IAF waypoints, piboy and pibow, are confusing and could cause clearance ambiguities and deviations.

Attributes
ACN	578288
Time
Date	200304
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ste.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11100 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	578288
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
Chart	approach : vor dme or gps rwys

Narrative:

I requested the GPS 03 approach to ste via direct pibow intersection for the 10 DME arc. The controller was unsure if I wanted pibow or piboy intersection for the approach. The similarity in sound and spelling of these two fixes are confusing and a prescription for disaster. One of the fixes must be renamed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that, notwithstanding the fact that these fixes are not to be used in ATC communication that the ZMP controller was aware of them and only needed confirmation as to which of the two was desired. Reporter recalled that ZMP controller stated 'oh yeah, there it is' and then cleared them to the fix and for the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ADVISES SIMILAR SPELLING AND SOUNDS OF TWO IAF WAYPOINTS, PIBOY AND PIBOW, ARE CONFUSING AND COULD CAUSE CLRNC AMBIGUITIES AND DEVIATIONS.

Narrative: I REQUESTED THE GPS 03 APCH TO STE VIA DIRECT PIBOW INTXN FOR THE 10 DME ARC. THE CTLR WAS UNSURE IF I WANTED PIBOW OR PIBOY INTXN FOR THE APCH. THE SIMILARITY IN SOUND AND SPELLING OF THESE TWO FIXES ARE CONFUSING AND A PRESCRIPTION FOR DISASTER. ONE OF THE FIXES MUST BE RENAMED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT THESE FIXES ARE NOT TO BE USED IN ATC COM THAT THE ZMP CTLR WAS AWARE OF THEM AND ONLY NEEDED CONFIRMATION AS TO WHICH OF THE TWO WAS DESIRED. RPTR RECALLED THAT ZMP CTLR STATED 'OH YEAH, THERE IT IS' AND THEN CLRED THEM TO THE FIX AND FOR THE APCH.

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.