Narrative:

On march/xx/92 while conducting a flight from bermuda to salt lake city, we discovered that the fix we were flying toward, flynn intersection, had been improperly entered into the navigation computer. We learned of the problem when we were comparing the fuel consumption for the remainder of the trip. Upon discovery of the problem we immediately notified ny radio of the situation and requested a new clearance. Upon receipt of the new clearance we were able to complete the remainder of the trip without further incident. We have since determined that a policy of entering the flight plan information must be accomplished with more care and with additional xchking. I feel it would be helpful if the FAA were to require some formal training and possibly even airman certification for operations within mnps airspace. Additionally it might help if someone on the ground had access to the same flight plan information as the crew. It might have been possible for someone to catch the error if the ground operator was comparing fix estimates listed on the plan with those given by the crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot stated that the navigation computer had been inadvertently programmed with a 66W coordinate instead of a 69W coordinate required for the flann intersection. Since the wrong coordination had produced a location of flynn intersection, it resulted in the aircraft being off intended track by 50 mi by the time the flight crew discovered the error. The pilot called the ny radio and reported the error and received an amended clearance to flann intersection. The pilot further stated that he had contacted ny ATC after landing and in addition reviewed this matter with FAA flight standards FSDO in ny and van nuys, ca.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR MDT ACFT DEVIATED FROM INTENDED RTE WHILE OPERATING IN OCEANIC AIRSPACE DUE TO A NAV COMPUTER PROGRAM ERROR.

Narrative: ON MARCH/XX/92 WHILE CONDUCTING A FLT FROM BERMUDA TO SALT LAKE CITY, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE FIX WE WERE FLYING TOWARD, FLYNN INTXN, HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY ENTERED INTO THE NAV COMPUTER. WE LEARNED OF THE PROBLEM WHEN WE WERE COMPARING THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. UPON DISCOVERY OF THE PROBLEM WE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED NY RADIO OF THE SITUATION AND REQUESTED A NEW CLRNC. UPON RECEIPT OF THE NEW CLRNC WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WE HAVE SINCE DETERMINED THAT A POLICY OF ENTERING THE FLT PLAN INFO MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH MORE CARE AND WITH ADDITIONAL XCHKING. I FEEL IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE FAA WERE TO REQUIRE SOME FORMAL TRAINING AND POSSIBLY EVEN AIRMAN CERTIFICATION FOR OPS WITHIN MNPS AIRSPACE. ADDITIONALLY IT MIGHT HELP IF SOMEONE ON THE GND HAD ACCESS TO THE SAME FLT PLAN INFO AS THE CREW. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO CATCH THE ERROR IF THE GND OPERATOR WAS COMPARING FIX ESTIMATES LISTED ON THE PLAN WITH THOSE GIVEN BY THE CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT STATED THAT THE NAV COMPUTER HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY PROGRAMMED WITH A 66W COORDINATE INSTEAD OF A 69W COORDINATE REQUIRED FOR THE FLANN INTXN. SINCE THE WRONG COORD HAD PRODUCED A LOCATION OF FLYNN INTXN, IT RESULTED IN THE ACFT BEING OFF INTENDED TRACK BY 50 MI BY THE TIME THE FLC DISCOVERED THE ERROR. THE PLT CALLED THE NY RADIO AND RPTED THE ERROR AND RECEIVED AN AMENDED CLRNC TO FLANN INTXN. THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD CONTACTED NY ATC AFTER LNDG AND IN ADDITION REVIEWED THIS MATTER WITH FAA FLT STANDARDS FSDO IN NY AND VAN NUYS, CA.

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.