Narrative:

Aircraft X was showing on the flight plan mydia Y240 shaqq. The pilot had reported over mydia at xa:24 with a center estimate of xa:23. The previous controller asked the pilot to report snakr intersection. At xa:27 I signed in and assumed the position for right+D sides for sector 72 ocean east. I was attempting to take some non-radar position reports when I noticed a beacon code on the border between ZHU and ZMA airspace. I looked at the beacon code and saw on the flight strip that this was aircraft X. I asked the pilot what fix he was navigating to and he answered direct shaqq intersection. I then asked the pilot what his route of flight was and he answered back with direct shaqq given by the previous controller in merida centers airspace. I knew this was not true because merida center would have had to request this route which would have been promptly denied by houston center due to being non-radar. I called ZMA key west sector with a point-out and got this accomplished. I then asked the pilot again where he received this clearance and he stated that he may have been mistaken. After the point out and telling the key west sector controller that the aircraft was direct shaqq I cleared the pilot direct shaqq rest of route unchanged. ZMA key west then advised me that ZMA cigar sector had the hand-off and I switched the pilot to ZMA. Pilots have become remiss and complacent with non-radar procedures and what to do. Every IFR rated pilot is taught how to give a proper non-radar position report. We here in the center have become complacent with not getting proper reports from the pilots. In this case the pilot did not fly the route assigned and flew what he thought he had. The pilot was asked; according to the previous controller telling me; to report snakr intersection and he never answered. This should have made the pilot question what position was required to report and check his navigation. Pilots should always do proper non-radar position reports all the time. We got lucky with this one because the W174 area has been going hot and cold all day and was cold at this time. The aircraft entered into the W147 area while it was cold.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU Controller reported a flight that was not flying the correct route.

Narrative: Aircraft X was showing on the flight plan MYDIA Y240 SHAQQ. The pilot had reported over MYDIA at XA:24 with a center estimate of XA:23. The previous controller asked the pilot to report SNAKR intersection. At XA:27 I signed in and assumed the position for R+D sides for sector 72 Ocean East. I was attempting to take some non-radar position reports when I noticed a beacon code on the border between ZHU and ZMA airspace. I looked at the beacon code and saw on the flight strip that this was Aircraft X. I asked the pilot what fix he was navigating to and he answered direct SHAQQ intersection. I then asked the pilot what his route of flight was and he answered back with direct SHAQQ given by the previous controller in Merida centers airspace. I knew this was not true because Merida center would have had to request this route which would have been promptly denied by Houston Center due to being non-radar. I called ZMA Key West sector with a point-out and got this accomplished. I then asked the pilot again where he received this clearance and he stated that he may have been mistaken. After the point out and telling the Key West sector controller that the aircraft was direct SHAQQ I cleared the pilot direct SHAQQ rest of route unchanged. ZMA Key West then advised me that ZMA Cigar sector had the hand-off and I switched the pilot to ZMA. Pilots have become remiss and complacent with non-radar procedures and what to do. Every IFR rated pilot is taught how to give a proper non-radar position report. We here in the center have become complacent with not getting proper reports from the pilots. In this case the pilot did not fly the route assigned and flew what he thought he had. The pilot was asked; according to the previous controller telling me; to report SNAKR intersection and he never answered. This should have made the pilot question what position was required to report and check his navigation. Pilots should always do proper non-radar position reports all the time. We got lucky with this one because the W174 area has been going hot and cold all day and was cold at this time. The aircraft entered into the W147 area while it was cold.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.