Track deviation. Clearance not followed due to habit pattern.

Attributes
ACN	310610
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 5n4
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 7264
ASRS Report	310610
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inadvertently started flying a route that we were not cleared. For the past 8 yrs we have been regularly flying to 5n4, nc, from okv, va. Our usual filed route and clearance is okv, ldn, csn, mol, lyh, and the majic arrival. It was an early morning departure. Duty day started at XB00 which had reporter up at XA00. This particular day, clearance was okv, ldn, csn, mol, lyh, V143, to join V20, mayos, majic 8 arrival, 5n4. As mayos intersection is a part of the majic 8 arrival from lyh, both pilots failed to pick up on the change in the route to require a different route to mayos from what has been done for the previous yrs. The first indication of being on the wrong track was when center inquired if we were established on V143. We weren't, but had proceeded on the majic 8 arrival from over lyh. Received new clearance from center. Should have been more alert when copying the clearance. But we were running late, departure was delayed by an iad emergency. And frankly, we weren't really expecting anything different. Guess when dealing with ATC the route from a to B should never be taken as a sure thing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV. CLRNC NOT FOLLOWED DUE TO HABIT PATTERN.

Narrative: INADVERTENTLY STARTED FLYING A RTE THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED. FOR THE PAST 8 YRS WE HAVE BEEN REGULARLY FLYING TO 5N4, NC, FROM OKV, VA. OUR USUAL FILED RTE AND CLRNC IS OKV, LDN, CSN, MOL, LYH, AND THE MAJIC ARR. IT WAS AN EARLY MORNING DEP. DUTY DAY STARTED AT XB00 WHICH HAD RPTR UP AT XA00. THIS PARTICULAR DAY, CLRNC WAS OKV, LDN, CSN, MOL, LYH, V143, TO JOIN V20, MAYOS, MAJIC 8 ARR, 5N4. AS MAYOS INTXN IS A PART OF THE MAJIC 8 ARR FROM LYH, BOTH PLTS FAILED TO PICK UP ON THE CHANGE IN THE RTE TO REQUIRE A DIFFERENT RTE TO MAYOS FROM WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE PREVIOUS YRS. THE FIRST INDICATION OF BEING ON THE WRONG TRACK WAS WHEN CTR INQUIRED IF WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON V143. WE WEREN'T, BUT HAD PROCEEDED ON THE MAJIC 8 ARR FROM OVER LYH. RECEIVED NEW CLRNC FROM CTR. SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ALERT WHEN COPYING THE CLRNC. BUT WE WERE RUNNING LATE, DEP WAS DELAYED BY AN IAD EMER. AND FRANKLY, WE WEREN'T REALLY EXPECTING ANYTHING DIFFERENT. GUESS WHEN DEALING WITH ATC THE RTE FROM A TO B SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN AS A SURE THING.

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.