Narrative:

We were on the cheri two, past tth, we asked for direct to cheri, expected ILS 35L. Center controller gave us direct to brdon. We were unfamiliar with brdon, could not find it on the cheri two arrival. I looked at the ILS 35L approach plate and noticed brbon, 21.8 DME on the ILS 35L. Center told us to cross brdon at 11000 ft. I thought brdon was kind of far south but we were using runway 35L so it sort of fit. The first officer checked in with approach and said something to the effect, 'were going to brbon, crossing at 11000 ft.' eventually approach called and said we were only 11 miles from brdon and we showed at least 50 miles to our point. I started down at a high rate to make the restriction while the first officer typed in the correct point. Everything past brdon was normal. Having two intersections, one letter different, 70 miles apart is an invitation for a mistake. The B and D are also too close to notice the difference when writing down the fix. I eventually found brdon, not on a high chart, not on the arrival, or approach chart, but on a low chart. Finding brbon on the approach to the runway we were using really set us up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG, TRACK DEV, AND MISIDENTIFICATION OF INTXN CLRED TO CREATES THE NEED FOR A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT BY A B737-300 FOR CROSSING BRDON INTXN 50 NW OF IIU VORTAC.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE CHERI TWO, PAST TTH, WE ASKED FOR DIRECT TO CHERI, EXPECTED ILS 35L. CTR CTLR GAVE US DIRECT TO BRDON. WE WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH BRDON, COULD NOT FIND IT ON THE CHERI TWO ARR. I LOOKED AT THE ILS 35L APCH PLATE AND NOTICED BRBON, 21.8 DME ON THE ILS 35L. CTR TOLD US TO CROSS BRDON AT 11000 FT. I THOUGHT BRDON WAS KIND OF FAR S BUT WE WERE USING RWY 35L SO IT SORT OF FIT. THE FO CHKED IN WITH APCH AND SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, 'WERE GOING TO BRBON, CROSSING AT 11000 FT.' EVENTUALLY APCH CALLED AND SAID WE WERE ONLY 11 MILES FROM BRDON AND WE SHOWED AT LEAST 50 MILES TO OUR POINT. I STARTED DOWN AT A HIGH RATE TO MAKE THE RESTRICTION WHILE THE FO TYPED IN THE CORRECT POINT. EVERYTHING PAST BRDON WAS NORMAL. HAVING TWO INTERSECTIONS, ONE LETTER DIFFERENT, 70 MILES APART IS AN INVITATION FOR A MISTAKE. THE B AND D ARE ALSO TOO CLOSE TO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN WRITING DOWN THE FIX. I EVENTUALLY FOUND BRDON, NOT ON A HIGH CHART, NOT ON THE ARR, OR APCH CHART, BUT ON A LOW CHART. FINDING BRBON ON THE APCH TO THE RWY WE WERE USING REALLY SET US UP.

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.