Narrative:

On the la grange six arrival to atlanta (lgc LGC6) after passing the meridian VOR (mei) we turned to intercept the 045 degree radial outbound. The correct radial outbound was the 077 degree radial. Myself and the first officer both misread the arrival, the 045 degree radial was the correct outbound on the montgomery VOR transition, not the meridian. When approximately 20-25 NM northeast of the meridian VOR, the ZTL controller asked us if we were on the meridian transition radial. We acknowledged our error and were given a 090 degree heading to intercept the 077 degree radial. No traffic conflict was involved. We later discussed the incident and firmly believe our error was not due to inattn, but fatigue. This was our last leg of 4 for the day. We had flown all day starting at xa:00 PDT (1ST takeoff), had been through 3 major hub airports (lax, las, dfw) and starting into our 4TH (atl); had a very short layover night, previous to the day's flying; had a bowl of cereal as our only food for the day. Basically tired, hungry with low blood sugar at the end of 7 hours of flying. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter described his schedule and how it contributed to his less than vigilant performance. A short night's sleep plus flying through three busy hubs caused fatigue. Lack of any food except a bowl of cereal that morning added to the ease of distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW FLEW THE WRONG RADIAL FROM MEI VOR ON THE STAR.

Narrative: ON THE LA GRANGE SIX ARR TO ATLANTA (LGC LGC6) AFTER PASSING THE MERIDIAN VOR (MEI) WE TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE 045 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND. THE CORRECT RADIAL OUTBOUND WAS THE 077 DEG RADIAL. MYSELF AND THE F/O BOTH MISREAD THE ARR, THE 045 DEG RADIAL WAS THE CORRECT OUTBOUND ON THE MONTGOMERY VOR TRANSITION, NOT THE MERIDIAN. WHEN APPROX 20-25 NM NE OF THE MERIDIAN VOR, THE ZTL CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE ON THE MERIDIAN TRANSITION RADIAL. WE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ERROR AND WERE GIVEN A 090 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 077 DEG RADIAL. NO TFC CONFLICT WAS INVOLVED. WE LATER DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT AND FIRMLY BELIEVE OUR ERROR WAS NOT DUE TO INATTN, BUT FATIGUE. THIS WAS OUR LAST LEG OF 4 FOR THE DAY. WE HAD FLOWN ALL DAY STARTING AT XA:00 PDT (1ST TKOF), HAD BEEN THROUGH 3 MAJOR HUB ARPTS (LAX, LAS, DFW) AND STARTING INTO OUR 4TH (ATL); HAD A VERY SHORT LAYOVER NIGHT, PREVIOUS TO THE DAY'S FLYING; HAD A BOWL OF CEREAL AS OUR ONLY FOOD FOR THE DAY. BASICALLY TIRED, HUNGRY WITH LOW BLOOD SUGAR AT THE END OF 7 HOURS OF FLYING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR DESCRIBED HIS SCHEDULE AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS LESS THAN VIGILANT PERFORMANCE. A SHORT NIGHT'S SLEEP PLUS FLYING THROUGH THREE BUSY HUBS CAUSED FATIGUE. LACK OF ANY FOOD EXCEPT A BOWL OF CEREAL THAT MORNING ADDED TO THE EASE OF DISTR.

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.