Narrative:

I wanted to pass along an unusual situation I encountered on an oceanic flight the other night. It's a trap; and could have caused a gross navigation error had we not conducted our proper waypoint verification per our SOP's. Our flight plan had us coasting out at a designated fix; and then proceeding to 6112N. At first look; we assumed that was 61 north 12 west. We loaded the flight plan manually; and not via uplink. When I line selected 6112N to the scratchpad and then into the 'show waypoint' prompt to verify the coordinates; we got a surprise! It showed 61 north 12 degrees 34 mins west; and not 12 degrees 00.0 west. The database was showing us the coordinates of an actual fix on the atlantic orientation chart labeled 6112N. Our flight plan coordinates however showed us going to 61 north 12 west. After getting our oceanic clearance; and several additional xmissions with oceanic clearance delivery; I was able to determine from shanwick that we were cleared to 61 north 12 west and not 6112N. I had to build a latitude/longitude waypoint and enter it into the flight plan instead of inserting 6112N as it would only recognize that as 12 west 34 mins. Next time you look at the atlantic orientation chart or plotting chart; familiarize yourself with this waypoint; so that you don't get caught going to the wrong place. Always check your courses and distances on the paper flight plan against the FMS for proper waypoint verification. We will be working to have this waypoint renamed; but in the meantime; don't blindly trust the FMS. I have always been of the philosophy 'trust; but verify.' trust the FMS; but verify everything. Remember it will do exactly what it's programmed to do; and it's up to us to make sure it's doing it right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLF4 ON INTL DEP FROM EGWU DISCOVERS IDENTIFIER FOR FIRST OCEANIC WAYPOINT IS AMBIGUOUS.

Narrative: I WANTED TO PASS ALONG AN UNUSUAL SITUATION I ENCOUNTERED ON AN OCEANIC FLT THE OTHER NIGHT. IT'S A TRAP; AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A GROSS NAV ERROR HAD WE NOT CONDUCTED OUR PROPER WAYPOINT VERIFICATION PER OUR SOP'S. OUR FLT PLAN HAD US COASTING OUT AT A DESIGNATED FIX; AND THEN PROCEEDING TO 6112N. AT FIRST LOOK; WE ASSUMED THAT WAS 61 N 12 W. WE LOADED THE FLT PLAN MANUALLY; AND NOT VIA UPLINK. WHEN I LINE SELECTED 6112N TO THE SCRATCHPAD AND THEN INTO THE 'SHOW WAYPOINT' PROMPT TO VERIFY THE COORDINATES; WE GOT A SURPRISE! IT SHOWED 61 N 12 DEGS 34 MINS W; AND NOT 12 DEGS 00.0 W. THE DATABASE WAS SHOWING US THE COORDINATES OF AN ACTUAL FIX ON THE ATLANTIC ORIENTATION CHART LABELED 6112N. OUR FLT PLAN COORDINATES HOWEVER SHOWED US GOING TO 61 N 12 W. AFTER GETTING OUR OCEANIC CLRNC; AND SEVERAL ADDITIONAL XMISSIONS WITH OCEANIC CLRNC DELIVERY; I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE FROM SHANWICK THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 61 N 12 W AND NOT 6112N. I HAD TO BUILD A LATITUDE/LONGITUDE WAYPOINT AND ENTER IT INTO THE FLT PLAN INSTEAD OF INSERTING 6112N AS IT WOULD ONLY RECOGNIZE THAT AS 12 W 34 MINS. NEXT TIME YOU LOOK AT THE ATLANTIC ORIENTATION CHART OR PLOTTING CHART; FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THIS WAYPOINT; SO THAT YOU DON'T GET CAUGHT GOING TO THE WRONG PLACE. ALWAYS CHK YOUR COURSES AND DISTANCES ON THE PAPER FLT PLAN AGAINST THE FMS FOR PROPER WAYPOINT VERIFICATION. WE WILL BE WORKING TO HAVE THIS WAYPOINT RENAMED; BUT IN THE MEANTIME; DON'T BLINDLY TRUST THE FMS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE PHILOSOPHY 'TRUST; BUT VERIFY.' TRUST THE FMS; BUT VERIFY EVERYTHING. REMEMBER IT WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT IT'S PROGRAMMED TO DO; AND IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE SURE IT'S DOING IT RIGHT.

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.