Narrative:

Scheduled flight sfo-lax FMC route 01J (company route). On cockpit set-up apparently after loading FMC with porte 9 departure, and route of flight, we inadvertently loaded departure runway as runway 1L. Had short taxi from terminal to taxiway south to runway 10L. Due to night and poor taxi and runway markings, we inadvertently wound up holding short of 10R so in confusion with tower had to taxi via taxiway X over to runway 10L, this confusion along with routine takeoff checklist, and weight manifest check we were somewhat 'busy' (2-MAN crew) and my usual last min self check of runway and correct FMC route loading got missed. So after takeoff departure control gave us '090 degree radar vectors to intercept porte 9 departure,' as I recall, after flaps up and after takeoff check, first officer suggested 'LNAV' and I rogered that and first officer pushed LNAV button. Of course this commanded a left turn to go out on a 200 degree heading to intercept 135 degree radial of point reyes VOR (pye) at approximately 010 degree heading. The very sharp departure controller asked our heading and where were we going? Were we flying the porte 9 departure? Immediately I had a cold feeling realizing that we were wrongly following the FMC active route on LNAV. Then I recalled sfo was using 19L ILS and knew we had potential for traffic conflict. Panic! The controller came back with 'turn right heading 120 radar vectors for 'wages' intersection.' we of course went to 45 degree bank right to execute turn as quickly as possible knowing that we could be getting towards approach corridor even though we were climbing at 3000-4000 FPM due to light load. It would be unlikely to be a problem for arrs being vectored north towards sav. This episode was typical 'chain,' but the controller 'broke the chain.' factors: night, end of 13 hour day, 8 hours flight time, and light showers, light chop, confusion getting to runway 10L and different runway confign that sfo 90 percent of time uses runways 28 for arrs, and runway 1L/right for departures. This coupled with SOP training to use LNAV to fly out the departure sids. I believe also we have too many involved sids for many airports. Many are seldom used and when they are quite often they are deviated themselves by ATC. Also was poor xchk of FMC by me prior to takeoff!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAV ERROR.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT SFO-LAX FMC RTE 01J (COMPANY RTE). ON COCKPIT SET-UP APPARENTLY AFTER LOADING FMC WITH PORTE 9 DEP, AND RTE OF FLT, WE INADVERTENTLY LOADED DEP RWY AS RWY 1L. HAD SHORT TAXI FROM TERMINAL TO TXWY S TO RWY 10L. DUE TO NIGHT AND POOR TAXI AND RWY MARKINGS, WE INADVERTENTLY WOUND UP HOLDING SHORT OF 10R SO IN CONFUSION WITH TWR HAD TO TAXI VIA TXWY X OVER TO RWY 10L, THIS CONFUSION ALONG WITH ROUTINE TKOF CHKLIST, AND WT MANIFEST CHK WE WERE SOMEWHAT 'BUSY' (2-MAN CREW) AND MY USUAL LAST MIN SELF CHK OF RWY AND CORRECT FMC RTE LOADING GOT MISSED. SO AFTER TKOF DEP CTL GAVE US '090 DEG RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT PORTE 9 DEP,' AS I RECALL, AFTER FLAPS UP AND AFTER TKOF CHK, FO SUGGESTED 'LNAV' AND I ROGERED THAT AND FO PUSHED LNAV BUTTON. OF COURSE THIS COMMANDED A L TURN TO GO OUT ON A 200 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT 135 DEG RADIAL OF POINT REYES VOR (PYE) AT APPROX 010 DEG HDG. THE VERY SHARP DEP CTLR ASKED OUR HDG AND WHERE WERE WE GOING? WERE WE FLYING THE PORTE 9 DEP? IMMEDIATELY I HAD A COLD FEELING REALIZING THAT WE WERE WRONGLY FOLLOWING THE FMC ACTIVE RTE ON LNAV. THEN I RECALLED SFO WAS USING 19L ILS AND KNEW WE HAD POTENTIAL FOR TFC CONFLICT. PANIC! THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH 'TURN R HDG 120 RADAR VECTORS FOR 'WAGES' INTXN.' WE OF COURSE WENT TO 45 DEG BANK R TO EXECUTE TURN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE KNOWING THAT WE COULD BE GETTING TOWARDS APCH CORRIDOR EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CLBING AT 3000-4000 FPM DUE TO LIGHT LOAD. IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO BE A PROB FOR ARRS BEING VECTORED N TOWARDS SAV. THIS EPISODE WAS TYPICAL 'CHAIN,' BUT THE CTLR 'BROKE THE CHAIN.' FACTORS: NIGHT, END OF 13 HR DAY, 8 HRS FLT TIME, AND LIGHT SHOWERS, LIGHT CHOP, CONFUSION GETTING TO RWY 10L AND DIFFERENT RWY CONFIGN THAT SFO 90 PERCENT OF TIME USES RWYS 28 FOR ARRS, AND RWY 1L/R FOR DEPS. THIS COUPLED WITH SOP TRAINING TO USE LNAV TO FLY OUT THE DEP SIDS. I BELIEVE ALSO WE HAVE TOO MANY INVOLVED SIDS FOR MANY ARPTS. MANY ARE SELDOM USED AND WHEN THEY ARE QUITE OFTEN THEY ARE DEVIATED THEMSELVES BY ATC. ALSO WAS POOR XCHK OF FMC BY ME PRIOR TO TKOF!

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.