Air carrier crew misreads chart, turns too soon on intercept of airway.

Attributes
ACN	158338
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vcn
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 10120 flight time type : 7012
ASRS Report	158338
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1750
ASRS Report	158443
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed phl en route to bdl on standard departure procedure. Was told to proceed on course via ditch intersection to intercept J225 to jfk. Used jfk VOR 244 degrees to identify J225 for intercept at ditch intersection rather than vcn 047 degree right. Map was folded at the time and by looking at both sides of map, it appeared that J226 was straight with no dog legs between vcn and jfk VOR's. Result was premature intercept approximately 10 mi west of J225. Was then told by center we were off course and given a 150 degree heading for on course. Was then vectored on across J225, given an approximately 270 degree right turn, then cleared direct jfk VOR and given climb clearance to requested cruise altitude. Remainder of flight was uneventful from that point on. Cause of incident: using us high 8 chart for navigation in the northeast sector rather than the northeast high altitude 4 chart, which is easier to read. Us high 8 is much too congested with information to effectively use when flying in the northeast and can lead to misreading the information, which is evident by this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW MISREADS CHART, TURNS TOO SOON ON INTERCEPT OF AIRWAY.

Narrative: DEPARTED PHL ENRTE TO BDL ON STANDARD DEP PROC. WAS TOLD TO PROCEED ON COURSE VIA DITCH INTXN TO INTERCEPT J225 TO JFK. USED JFK VOR 244 DEGS TO IDENT J225 FOR INTERCEPT AT DITCH INTXN RATHER THAN VCN 047 DEG R. MAP WAS FOLDED AT THE TIME AND BY LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES OF MAP, IT APPEARED THAT J226 WAS STRAIGHT WITH NO DOG LEGS BTWN VCN AND JFK VOR'S. RESULT WAS PREMATURE INTERCEPT APPROX 10 MI W OF J225. WAS THEN TOLD BY CENTER WE WERE OFF COURSE AND GIVEN A 150 DEG HDG FOR ON COURSE. WAS THEN VECTORED ON ACROSS J225, GIVEN AN APPROX 270 DEG RIGHT TURN, THEN CLRED DIRECT JFK VOR AND GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO REQUESTED CRUISE ALT. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL FROM THAT POINT ON. CAUSE OF INCIDENT: USING U.S. HIGH 8 CHART FOR NAV IN THE NE SECTOR RATHER THAN THE NE HIGH ALT 4 CHART, WHICH IS EASIER TO READ. U.S. HIGH 8 IS MUCH TOO CONGESTED WITH INFO TO EFFECTIVELY USE WHEN FLYING IN THE NE AND CAN LEAD TO MISREADING THE INFO, WHICH IS EVIDENT BY THIS INCIDENT.

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.