Narrative:

Dispatch release cleared 'my' 747 from tpe to nrt via airway A1. Same dispatch release was revised to clear us tpe to nrt via airway R583 and waypoints included for 4583 on computer flight plan. We 'loaded' waypoint for R583 in INS's (3). During 'pushback' we received clearance to nrt via airway A1. We acknowledged cleared via A1 (!) and wrote clearance on paper. During climb I joined airway R583 and was informed 'wrong airway' by departure control. We were then cleared via R583 after departure control said 'you were given airway A1 by tower.' a clear mistake was made by me. This crew was originally scheduled nrt-hkg then layover. This crew was rescheduled to then fly nrt-hkg-tpe-nrt. After a not quite good rest we left nrt about XA00 pm and returned to nrt XB00 am (about maximum on duty by contract). While packing for trip I told myself 'bad stuff always happens when you fly some else's trip so watch out.' after driving airliners for 32 yrs I told myself that I'd be tired as can be so watch out. The airways tpe to nrt have been 'busted' before - I told myself that too - so watch out was word of the day. During climb I actually turned and established on A1 airway then checked flight plan and said 'opps.' I then turned and joined R583 airway. (R583 airway was on flight plan) - meanwhile 'cleared via A1' was written on clearance paper and we all missed that! Clearance was given to us by radio during pushback - clearance was complicated by words from pushback crew. Clearance person's accent and diction of english language was incredibly difficult to understand. 'They always understand us - we never understand them' - europe, south america, asia no difference during taxi out #1 INS failed - I fiddled with it then turned it off and transferred my instruments to #3 INS. I wonder if I would have caught the discrepancy during day VFR well rested conditions - I'm quite embarrassed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK POS DEV DURING A NIGHT OVERWATER OP IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DISPATCH RELEASE CLRED 'MY' 747 FROM TPE TO NRT VIA AIRWAY A1. SAME DISPATCH RELEASE WAS REVISED TO CLR US TPE TO NRT VIA AIRWAY R583 AND WAYPOINTS INCLUDED FOR 4583 ON COMPUTER FLT PLAN. WE 'LOADED' WAYPOINT FOR R583 IN INS'S (3). DURING 'PUSHBACK' WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO NRT VIA AIRWAY A1. WE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRED VIA A1 (!) AND WROTE CLRNC ON PAPER. DURING CLB I JOINED AIRWAY R583 AND WAS INFORMED 'WRONG AIRWAY' BY DEP CTL. WE WERE THEN CLRED VIA R583 AFTER DEP CTL SAID 'YOU WERE GIVEN AIRWAY A1 BY TWR.' A CLR MISTAKE WAS MADE BY ME. THIS CREW WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED NRT-HKG THEN LAYOVER. THIS CREW WAS RESCHEDULED TO THEN FLY NRT-HKG-TPE-NRT. AFTER A NOT QUITE GOOD REST WE LEFT NRT ABOUT XA00 PM AND RETURNED TO NRT XB00 AM (ABOUT MAX ON DUTY BY CONTRACT). WHILE PACKING FOR TRIP I TOLD MYSELF 'BAD STUFF ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN YOU FLY SOME ELSE'S TRIP SO WATCH OUT.' AFTER DRIVING AIRLINERS FOR 32 YRS I TOLD MYSELF THAT I'D BE TIRED AS CAN BE SO WATCH OUT. THE AIRWAYS TPE TO NRT HAVE BEEN 'BUSTED' BEFORE - I TOLD MYSELF THAT TOO - SO WATCH OUT WAS WORD OF THE DAY. DURING CLB I ACTUALLY TURNED AND ESTABLISHED ON A1 AIRWAY THEN CHKED FLT PLAN AND SAID 'OPPS.' I THEN TURNED AND JOINED R583 AIRWAY. (R583 AIRWAY WAS ON FLT PLAN) - MEANWHILE 'CLRED VIA A1' WAS WRITTEN ON CLRNC PAPER AND WE ALL MISSED THAT! CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO US BY RADIO DURING PUSHBACK - CLRNC WAS COMPLICATED BY WORDS FROM PUSHBACK CREW. CLRNC PERSON'S ACCENT AND DICTION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. 'THEY ALWAYS UNDERSTAND US - WE NEVER UNDERSTAND THEM' - EUROPE, S AMERICA, ASIA NO DIFFERENCE DURING TAXI OUT #1 INS FAILED - I FIDDLED WITH IT THEN TURNED IT OFF AND TRANSFERRED MY INSTS TO #3 INS. I WONDER IF I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE DISCREPANCY DURING DAY VFR WELL RESTED CONDITIONS - I'M QUITE EMBARRASSED.

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.