Narrative:

We were in our departure climb from boston leaving FL270 for FL390 being vectored west toward our filed route of glide, baf J77 bwx, etc. There was a lull and I began the passenger PA which had been delayed until this time. During the PA center called, cleared us to FL390, and direct to barnes. I interrupted the PA, responded to the clearance. The captain updated the altitude and reprogrammed the FMC. I failed to notice that he selected bwz which is broadway rather than baf which was barnes. I resumed my PA. Center then called and asked if we were proceeding direct barnes. I looked at the screen and saw bwz. It didn't connect that was broadway rather than barnes. I responded roger we were proceeding direct barnes. She immediately responded negative, I show you 10 mi south of barnes headed toward sparta (sax) (which was on a direct course for bwz). I realized the error then and rogered her estimate of our position. She then gave us a westerly heading, told us to level at 310 and handed us off to another controller. 2 problems contributed to our mistake. 1 was that the clearance using the name rather than the phonetic spelling led to the entering of bwz for barnes. The second was the fact that I was doing a PA and consequently did not xchk what the captain's update of the FMC. It controllers would use phonetics in their clrncs it would help. Also, delaying PA's until cruise altitude especially in high density areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV PICKED UP BY BUSY BUT ALERT ARTCC RADAR CTLR.

Narrative: WE WERE IN OUR DEP CLB FROM BOSTON LEAVING FL270 FOR FL390 BEING VECTORED W TOWARD OUR FILED RTE OF GLIDE, BAF J77 BWX, ETC. THERE WAS A LULL AND I BEGAN THE PAX PA WHICH HAD BEEN DELAYED UNTIL THIS TIME. DURING THE PA CENTER CALLED, CLRED US TO FL390, AND DIRECT TO BARNES. I INTERRUPTED THE PA, RESPONDED TO THE CLRNC. THE CAPT UPDATED THE ALT AND REPROGRAMMED THE FMC. I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT HE SELECTED BWZ WHICH IS BROADWAY RATHER THAN BAF WHICH WAS BARNES. I RESUMED MY PA. CENTER THEN CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT BARNES. I LOOKED AT THE SCREEN AND SAW BWZ. IT DIDN'T CONNECT THAT WAS BROADWAY RATHER THAN BARNES. I RESPONDED ROGER WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT BARNES. SHE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED NEGATIVE, I SHOW YOU 10 MI S OF BARNES HEADED TOWARD SPARTA (SAX) (WHICH WAS ON A DIRECT COURSE FOR BWZ). I REALIZED THE ERROR THEN AND ROGERED HER ESTIMATE OF OUR POS. SHE THEN GAVE US A WESTERLY HDG, TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 310 AND HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR. 2 PROBLEMS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR MISTAKE. 1 WAS THAT THE CLRNC USING THE NAME RATHER THAN THE PHONETIC SPELLING LED TO THE ENTERING OF BWZ FOR BARNES. THE SECOND WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS DOING A PA AND CONSEQUENTLY DID NOT XCHK WHAT THE CAPT'S UPDATE OF THE FMC. IT CTLRS WOULD USE PHONETICS IN THEIR CLRNCS IT WOULD HELP. ALSO, DELAYING PA'S UNTIL CRUISE ALT ESPECIALLY IN HIGH DENSITY AREAS.

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.