An air carrier widebody transport crew showed that they didn't know how to read their charts.

Attributes
ACN	258374
Time
Date	199311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwz airport : iad
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	258374
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent into iad, ATC cleared direct 'lancaster.' asked PNF what number it was in INS. He could not locate it on flight plan (did not correlate identifier 'lrp' with 'lancaster'). I referenced high altitude chart and dialed in 117.3 and proceeded direct using VOR navigation, while descending. I asked PNF for clearance after lancaster. PNF could not say, as now, PF and PNF believed lancaster was not on flight plan route or clearance. At lancaster, PNF still unsure of clearance and advised ATC we had no clearance after receiving direct lancaster, and received heading from ATC. Problem was lrp not recognized as lancaster, which was on our route. It would help if identifier more closely resembled name (this was a new route for crew).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB CREW SHOWED THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO READ THEIR CHARTS.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO IAD, ATC CLRED DIRECT 'LANCASTER.' ASKED PNF WHAT NUMBER IT WAS IN INS. HE COULD NOT LOCATE IT ON FLT PLAN (DID NOT CORRELATE IDENTIFIER 'LRP' WITH 'LANCASTER'). I REFED HIGH ALT CHART AND DIALED IN 117.3 AND PROCEEDED DIRECT USING VOR NAV, WHILE DSNDING. I ASKED PNF FOR CLRNC AFTER LANCASTER. PNF COULD NOT SAY, AS NOW, PF AND PNF BELIEVED LANCASTER WAS NOT ON FLT PLAN RTE OR CLRNC. AT LANCASTER, PNF STILL UNSURE OF CLRNC AND ADVISED ATC WE HAD NO CLRNC AFTER RECEIVING DIRECT LANCASTER, AND RECEIVED HDG FROM ATC. PROB WAS LRP NOT RECOGNIZED AS LANCASTER, WHICH WAS ON OUR RTE. IT WOULD HELP IF IDENTIFIER MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLED NAME (THIS WAS A NEW RTE FOR CREW).

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.