Narrative:

During the preflight the first officer had misinterpreted the pre departure clearance (probably due to the fact that the dispatch release matched what appeared to be an amendment at the bottom of the pre departure clearance and the release had the words 'non standard route' highlighted at the top). The captain failed to check the ACARS pre departure clearance; so didn't catch the error. The routing in the FMC matched what was on the release so I might've easily misinterpreted the pre departure clearance the same way as the first officer had I looked at it. Lack of experience in looking at them on the ACARS; and lack of frequency in having to interpret amended clearances; is the primary problem area here. There is a company check airman on the line who is proposing a great idea. That is; when the clearance briefing is made; the first officer (or captain) should call up the pre departure clearance screen and both pilots should simultaneously review it. That will give the redundancy we need to be able to catch routing or other errors in the clearance. With both pilots routinely using the pre departure clearance on a regular basis; familiarity with the format should grow quickly. We should make this a normal procedure.supplemental information from acn 784114: in this instance the flight plan loaded in the FMC matched the paperwork. There is no current procedure for the captain to check the pre departure clearance (FMC on route 2 page). Maybe if there is a pre departure clearance amendment; it should be part of the briefing procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW MISINTERPRETS PDC CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLIGHT THE FO HAD MISINTERPRETED THE PDC (PROBABLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DISPATCH RELEASE MATCHED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN AMENDMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PDC AND THE RELEASE HAD THE WORDS 'NON STD ROUTE' HIGHLIGHTED AT THE TOP). THE CAPTAIN FAILED TO CHECK THE ACARS PDC; SO DIDN'T CATCH THE ERROR. THE ROUTING IN THE FMC MATCHED WHAT WAS ON THE RELEASE SO I MIGHT'VE EASILY MISINTERPRETED THE PDC THE SAME WAY AS THE FO HAD I LOOKED AT IT. LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN LOOKING AT THEM ON THE ACARS; AND LACK OF FREQUENCY IN HAVING TO INTERPRET AMENDED CLEARANCES; IS THE PRIMARY PROBLEM AREA HERE. THERE IS A COMPANY CHECK AIRMAN ON THE LINE WHO IS PROPOSING A GREAT IDEA. THAT IS; WHEN THE CLEARANCE BRIEFING IS MADE; THE FO (OR CAPTAIN) SHOULD CALL UP THE PDC SCREEN AND BOTH PILOTS SHOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY REVIEW IT. THAT WILL GIVE THE REDUNDANCY WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CATCH ROUTING OR OTHER ERRORS IN THE CLEARANCE. WITH BOTH PILOTS ROUTINELY USING THE PDC ON A REGULAR BASIS; FAMILIARITY WITH THE FORMAT SHOULD GROW QUICKLY. WE SHOULD MAKE THIS A NORMAL PROCEDURE.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 784114: IN THIS INSTANCE THE FLIGHT PLAN LOADED IN THE FMC MATCHED THE PAPERWORK. THERE IS NO CURRENT PROCEDURE FOR THE CAPTAIN TO CHECK THE PDC (FMC ON ROUTE 2 PAGE). MAYBE IF THERE IS A PDC AMENDMENT; IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE BRIEFING PROCEDURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.