Air carrier captain reported a track heading deviation during arrival into cyyz airport resulting fr...

Narrative:

Arrival into toronto (cyyz) flying the NUBER4 STAR to RNAV X runway 05. The approach controller cleared us to fly direct ikbat. We read back the clearance but both pilots were confused as to the correct waypoint. Was the clearance to ikbat or igvap? Both waypoints are similar sounding and located very close to each other. We queried the controller to acknowledge that the correct waypoint was indeed ikbat and not igvap (emphasis on slow deliberate enunciation).several minutes later we were informed of traffic congestion at the airport and were given a 280 vector away from the airfield. After a few minutes on that heading we were given vectors back toward the field and told to proceed direct to ikbat. However; both pilots heard 'igvap' and we proceeded to fly towards igvap. A few minutes later the controller asked if we were flying to ikbat and I informed ATC that 'no; we are going direct to igvap.' the two waypoints are about a mile apart. The controller gave us a heading and handed us off to the next controller. Nothing else was mentioned about the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier Captain reported a track heading deviation during arrival into CYYZ airport resulting from confusing similar sounding fix names IKBAT and IGVAP.

Narrative: Arrival into Toronto (CYYZ) flying the NUBER4 STAR to RNAV X Runway 05. The Approach Controller cleared us to fly direct IKBAT. We read back the clearance but both pilots were confused as to the correct waypoint. Was the clearance to IKBAT or IGVAP? Both waypoints are similar sounding and located very close to each other. We queried the Controller to acknowledge that the correct waypoint was indeed IKBAT and not IGVAP (emphasis on slow deliberate enunciation).Several minutes later we were informed of traffic congestion at the airport and were given a 280 vector away from the airfield. After a few minutes on that heading we were given vectors back toward the field and told to proceed direct to IKBAT. However; both pilots heard 'IGVAP' and we proceeded to fly towards IGVAP. A few minutes later the Controller asked if we were flying to IKBAT and I informed ATC that 'no; we are going direct to IGVAP.' The two waypoints are about a mile apart. The Controller gave us a heading and handed us off to the next Controller. Nothing else was mentioned about the incident.

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.

Attributes
ACN	1736678
Time
Date	202003
Place
Locale Reference	CYYZ.Airport
State Reference	ON
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	STAR NUBER 4
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 188 Flight Crew Total 7297 Flight Crew Type 7297
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Air carrier captain reported a track heading deviation during arrival into cyyz airport resulting from confusing similar sounding fix names ikbat and igvap.