CL60 crew began to fly toward lvs (las vegas, NM) rather than las (las vegas, nv) as cleared by ZLA.

Attributes
ACN	581569
Time
Date	200305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : las.vortac
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Challenger CL601
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 5225 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	581569
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	581181
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Navigational Aid	LAS.VORTAC

Narrative:

I was captain on a challenger 601 from vny to luk. Our routing was the newhall six departure, dag direct jot and the tarne two arrival into luk. Talking to ZLA, the controller gave us a change to our routing to be 'after daggett, direct las vegas, nv, direct joliet, rest of route unchanged.' the PNF read back the clearance correctly. Thinking that I knew the identifier for las vegas, nv, I entered in lvs into the flight plan on the FMS. Within a few mins, we were given 'direct to las vegas, nv.' when entering direct to 'lvs' into the FMS, the heading didn't change much, so I didn't give too much thought into whether it was correct or not. We were handed off to the next controller, and within a few mins, she told us to return to our previously assigned frequency. The controller told us to turn to about a 360 degree heading and asked us what identifier we had listed on our FMS. Realizing that a mistake had been made, the PNF correctly told the controller that we had 'lvs' (las vegas, NM) in the FMS, but we believe we should have had 'las' (las vegas, nv) in the FMS. The controller said 'I told you twice to proceed to las vegas, nv,' of which we could not dispute. We were subsequently given direct to las, and were again handed off to the next controller again. At the time we were told to turn to the 360 degree heading, we were approximately 70 mi southwest of las. Nothing else was said to us by the controllers to indicate that any serious situation had occurred due to our error. Obviously, this was an error on my part in the incorrect identifier being entered into the FMS. Had I looked at the mileage to 'lvs,' which was at least 500 mi away, I would have easily caught the error. I should have verified the identifier with the PNF as well before entering it into our flight plan. What would have also been helpful, especially to those pilots who may not frequently navigation in that part of the country, would have been for the controller to specify the identifier code in the clearance (ie, 'cleared direct to las vegas, nv, (lima-alpha-sierra).'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL60 CREW BEGAN TO FLY TOWARD LVS (LAS VEGAS, NM) RATHER THAN LAS (LAS VEGAS, NV) AS CLRED BY ZLA.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON A CHALLENGER 601 FROM VNY TO LUK. OUR ROUTING WAS THE NEWHALL SIX DEP, DAG DIRECT JOT AND THE TARNE TWO ARR INTO LUK. TALKING TO ZLA, THE CTLR GAVE US A CHANGE TO OUR ROUTING TO BE 'AFTER DAGGETT, DIRECT LAS VEGAS, NV, DIRECT JOLIET, REST OF RTE UNCHANGED.' THE PNF READ BACK THE CLRNC CORRECTLY. THINKING THAT I KNEW THE IDENTIFIER FOR LAS VEGAS, NV, I ENTERED IN LVS INTO THE FLT PLAN ON THE FMS. WITHIN A FEW MINS, WE WERE GIVEN 'DIRECT TO LAS VEGAS, NV.' WHEN ENTERING DIRECT TO 'LVS' INTO THE FMS, THE HEADING DIDN'T CHANGE MUCH, SO I DIDN'T GIVE TOO MUCH THOUGHT INTO WHETHER IT WAS CORRECT OR NOT. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR, AND WITHIN A FEW MINS, SHE TOLD US TO RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED FREQ. THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO ABOUT A 360 DEG HDG AND ASKED US WHAT IDENTIFIER WE HAD LISTED ON OUR FMS. REALIZING THAT A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE, THE PNF CORRECTLY TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD 'LVS' (LAS VEGAS, NM) IN THE FMS, BUT WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 'LAS' (LAS VEGAS, NV) IN THE FMS. THE CTLR SAID 'I TOLD YOU TWICE TO PROCEED TO LAS VEGAS, NV,' OF WHICH WE COULD NOT DISPUTE. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN DIRECT TO LAS, AND WERE AGAIN HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR AGAIN. AT THE TIME WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO THE 360 DEG HDG, WE WERE APPROX 70 MI SW OF LAS. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID TO US BY THE CTLRS TO INDICATE THAT ANY SERIOUS SIT HAD OCCURRED DUE TO OUR ERROR. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS AN ERROR ON MY PART IN THE INCORRECT IDENTIFIER BEING ENTERED INTO THE FMS. HAD I LOOKED AT THE MILEAGE TO 'LVS,' WHICH WAS AT LEAST 500 MI AWAY, I WOULD HAVE EASILY CAUGHT THE ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE IDENTIFIER WITH THE PNF AS WELL BEFORE ENTERING IT INTO OUR FLT PLAN. WHAT WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE PLTS WHO MAY NOT FREQUENTLY NAV IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY, WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE CTLR TO SPECIFY THE IDENTIFIER CODE IN THE CLRNC (IE, 'CLRED DIRECT TO LAS VEGAS, NV, (LIMA-ALPHA-SIERRA).'

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.