B757 flight crew departing rfd program FMS direct to bfd vice bdf.

Attributes
ACN	704041
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rfd.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rfd.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	704041
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 89 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 196
ASRS Report	704042
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff on runway 25 at rfd; we were cleared direct to bdf. As we turned left toward what we thought was bdf; we realized we had bfd in the FMC instead of bdf. Rfd departure told us to contact ZAU and did not say anything about our heading. As soon as I contacted ZAU I realized we were going too far east and immediately asked chicago for direct sgf which was showing more on course toward our destination. Center immediately gave us direct sgf and shortly after said rfd departure wanted to know why we turned toward the east. I told chicago we thought we were headed direct bdf and wanted to go more direct. All of this happened within a min or less after being cleared direct to bdf we just had bfd in the FMC rather than bdf. We checked and bfd was 497 mi ene from rfd and would recommend that bfd be taken out of the database so this mistake would not happen again. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain commented that they at first were not concerned about the direction of turn because the flight plans generated by the company's new flight planning program will often route flts in other than the most apparent direct routing in order to optimize the flight path with forecast winds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW DEPARTING RFD PROGRAM FMS DIRECT TO BFD VICE BDF.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF ON RWY 25 AT RFD; WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO BDF. AS WE TURNED L TOWARD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS BDF; WE REALIZED WE HAD BFD IN THE FMC INSTEAD OF BDF. RFD DEP TOLD US TO CONTACT ZAU AND DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT OUR HDG. AS SOON AS I CONTACTED ZAU I REALIZED WE WERE GOING TOO FAR E AND IMMEDIATELY ASKED CHICAGO FOR DIRECT SGF WHICH WAS SHOWING MORE ON COURSE TOWARD OUR DEST. CTR IMMEDIATELY GAVE US DIRECT SGF AND SHORTLY AFTER SAID RFD DEP WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE TURNED TOWARD THE E. I TOLD CHICAGO WE THOUGHT WE WERE HEADED DIRECT BDF AND WANTED TO GO MORE DIRECT. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITHIN A MIN OR LESS AFTER BEING CLRED DIRECT TO BDF WE JUST HAD BFD IN THE FMC RATHER THAN BDF. WE CHKED AND BFD WAS 497 MI ENE FROM RFD AND WOULD RECOMMEND THAT BFD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE DATABASE SO THIS MISTAKE WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT COMMENTED THAT THEY AT FIRST WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF TURN BECAUSE THE FLT PLANS GENERATED BY THE COMPANY'S NEW FLT PLANNING PROGRAM WILL OFTEN RTE FLTS IN OTHER THAN THE MOST APPARENT DIRECT ROUTING IN ORDER TO OPTIMIZE THE FLT PATH WITH FORECAST WINDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.