Narrative:

Over the last yr I've overheard several different pilots speak of how easy it is to get the fixes zeela and zeena mixed up in VHF conversations with both anc center and bettles FSS while on approach to ppc. Both ppc and btt are experiencing a dramatic increase in both IFR and VFR traffic. Prospect creek is the home of pump stations as well as a major staging area for 5 mi camp and chandalar camp. Bettles field is a major hub for patrol aircraft as well as the gold mines in the area. In summer it is not uncommon for 3 or 4 aircraft to be in the pattern for both fields. With pipeline service companies, it is not unreasonable to expect a 5-FOLD increase in IFR traffic in a very short time (such as happened to gbh during 1/91). After zeela, one must stay at 400' till reaching zeena. My point is, if a person thought they were at zeena when they were really at zeela for whatever reason, they could be in danger. This is a potential accident waiting to happen. Also, it's not just pilots that get confused, but I've heard anc ARTCC controllers do the same thing. To me it seems to be common sense that 2 navigation fixes using a NAVAID (btt) that is not at the field of destination (ppc) and are close to each other with a linear relationship should be phonetically distinct. Suggestion: change zeela or zeena to a different name--a phonetically distinct one! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: talked to FAA flight standards about these approachs. Analyst stated that no published instrument approach procedures on the 2 approachs submitted by the reporter could be found in NOAA or the commercial chart company. Was informed that these were private approachs, but are routinely flight checked by the FAA. Have not had any incidents because of the similar names. These approachs are supposed to be used only by the approach chart initiator and navigation equipment owner aircraft and others with approval. However, suspect other pilots also have copy of approach. Approach equipment supposed to be turned off after landing. There are plans to install a full ILS system, but not sure when.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR SOUNDING APCH FIX NAMES.

Narrative: OVER THE LAST YR I'VE OVERHEARD SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLTS SPEAK OF HOW EASY IT IS TO GET THE FIXES ZEELA AND ZEENA MIXED UP IN VHF CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH ANC CENTER AND BETTLES FSS WHILE ON APCH TO PPC. BOTH PPC AND BTT ARE EXPERIENCING A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN BOTH IFR AND VFR TFC. PROSPECT CREEK IS THE HOME OF PUMP STATIONS AS WELL AS A MAJOR STAGING AREA FOR 5 MI CAMP AND CHANDALAR CAMP. BETTLES FIELD IS A MAJOR HUB FOR PATROL ACFT AS WELL AS THE GOLD MINES IN THE AREA. IN SUMMER IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR 3 OR 4 ACFT TO BE IN THE PATTERN FOR BOTH FIELDS. WITH PIPELINE SVC COMPANIES, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT A 5-FOLD INCREASE IN IFR TFC IN A VERY SHORT TIME (SUCH AS HAPPENED TO GBH DURING 1/91). AFTER ZEELA, ONE MUST STAY AT 400' TILL REACHING ZEENA. MY POINT IS, IF A PERSON THOUGHT THEY WERE AT ZEENA WHEN THEY WERE REALLY AT ZEELA FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY COULD BE IN DANGER. THIS IS A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. ALSO, IT'S NOT JUST PLTS THAT GET CONFUSED, BUT I'VE HEARD ANC ARTCC CTLRS DO THE SAME THING. TO ME IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON SENSE THAT 2 NAV FIXES USING A NAVAID (BTT) THAT IS NOT AT THE FIELD OF DEST (PPC) AND ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER WITH A LINEAR RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE PHONETICALLY DISTINCT. SUGGESTION: CHANGE ZEELA OR ZEENA TO A DIFFERENT NAME--A PHONETICALLY DISTINCT ONE! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: TALKED TO FAA FLT STANDARDS ABOUT THESE APCHS. ANALYST STATED THAT NO PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APCH PROCS ON THE 2 APCHS SUBMITTED BY THE RPTR COULD BE FOUND IN NOAA OR THE COMMERCIAL CHART COMPANY. WAS INFORMED THAT THESE WERE PVT APCHS, BUT ARE ROUTINELY FLT CHKED BY THE FAA. HAVE NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE SIMILAR NAMES. THESE APCHS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE USED ONLY BY THE APCH CHART INITIATOR AND NAV EQUIP OWNER ACFT AND OTHERS WITH APPROVAL. HOWEVER, SUSPECT OTHER PLTS ALSO HAVE COPY OF APCH. APCH EQUIP SUPPOSED TO BE TURNED OFF AFTER LNDG. THERE ARE PLANS TO INSTALL A FULL ILS SYS, BUT NOT SURE WHEN.

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.