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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Initial reporter voices concern of two similar sounding fixes on ua-4. Problem is that one fix is not shown on chart east(hi)7 and the one not to be used is. This could create a very serious navigation problem if the one shown is placed in an FMC when the other is used by name. Company computer flight plan also shows the route over non shown fix as an airway route when it is not.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 150232 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199007 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ltba |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ltba artcc : zab |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : ltba |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 55 |
| ASRS Report | 150232 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Publication | Unspecified |
Narrative:
Computer generated flight plan was from overhead rad (radovets VOR) via goten (42 degrees 45 mins north 23 degrees 38 mins east) to kal (lalotina VOR and shown as UA4 arwy. In fact, UA4 arwy goes via pdv (plovdiv NDB) between rad and kal. Goten is not shown on commercial chart east (hi) 7. Another fix, gotan (41 degrees 08.2 mins north 28 degrees 23 mins east) is shown however, and is 233 NM southeast of goten, or 97 NM southeast of rad. When sofia cleared us via pdv, I proceeded that way, but looked at the chart to see how it differed from going via goten, and found that goten was not on the chart. If another aircraft using FMS navigation were instructed to proceed via goten ( or gotan), the wrong fix could by typed in as they both sound alike, and a violation/incident could arise. Recommend that the name of either goten or gotan intersection be changed, that the commercial FMS data base be revised to show proper routing of UA4.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INITIAL REPORTER VOICES CONCERN OF TWO SIMILAR SOUNDING FIXES ON UA-4. PROBLEM IS THAT ONE FIX IS NOT SHOWN ON CHART E(HI)7 AND THE ONE NOT TO BE USED IS. THIS COULD CREATE A VERY SERIOUS NAVIGATION PROBLEM IF THE ONE SHOWN IS PLACED IN AN FMC WHEN THE OTHER IS USED BY NAME. COMPANY COMPUTER FLT PLAN ALSO SHOWS THE ROUTE OVER NON SHOWN FIX AS AN AIRWAY ROUTE WHEN IT IS NOT.
Narrative: COMPUTER GENERATED FLT PLAN WAS FROM OVERHEAD RAD (RADOVETS VOR) VIA GOTEN (42 DEGS 45 MINS N 23 DEGS 38 MINS E) TO KAL (LALOTINA VOR AND SHOWN AS UA4 ARWY. IN FACT, UA4 ARWY GOES VIA PDV (PLOVDIV NDB) BTWN RAD AND KAL. GOTEN IS NOT SHOWN ON COMMERCIAL CHART E (HI) 7. ANOTHER FIX, GOTAN (41 DEGS 08.2 MINS N 28 DEGS 23 MINS E) IS SHOWN HOWEVER, AND IS 233 NM SE OF GOTEN, OR 97 NM SE OF RAD. WHEN SOFIA CLRED US VIA PDV, I PROCEEDED THAT WAY, BUT LOOKED AT THE CHART TO SEE HOW IT DIFFERED FROM GOING VIA GOTEN, AND FOUND THAT GOTEN WAS NOT ON THE CHART. IF ANOTHER ACFT USING FMS NAV WERE INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED VIA GOTEN ( OR GOTAN), THE WRONG FIX COULD BY TYPED IN AS THEY BOTH SOUND ALIKE, AND A VIOLATION/INCIDENT COULD ARISE. RECOMMEND THAT THE NAME OF EITHER GOTEN OR GOTAN INTXN BE CHANGED, THAT THE COMMERCIAL FMS DATA BASE BE REVISED TO SHOW PROPER RTING OF UA4.
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.