Corp LR35 has problem with clearance when issued similar sounding VOR versus intersection names.

Attributes
ACN	334536
Time
Date	199605
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial ground : preflight
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	334536
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Pittsburgh clearance said after takeoff to proceed to briggs VOR. According to my first officer he said he read back briggs, then was corrected by clearance to go to burgs intersection. So we proceeded to burgs intersection and were questioned by ATC who then turned us to briggs. There was no traffic conflict. I am very surprised that on a departure procedure that 2 fixes are shown that are so very close in the way they are pronounced. One of the names needs to be changed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states they do not go into pit very often and have not had this problem before. They were headed for den but have had unusual routings at some airports so did not question this clearance too much. This was especially due to the fact that first officer had been through the correction of the clearance and believed it was now correct. The similar sounding names need to be changed so this does not happen to anyone else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP LR35 HAS PROB WITH CLRNC WHEN ISSUED SIMILAR SOUNDING VOR VERSUS INTXN NAMES.

Narrative: PITTSBURGH CLRNC SAID AFTER TKOF TO PROCEED TO BRIGGS VOR. ACCORDING TO MY FO HE SAID HE READ BACK BRIGGS, THEN WAS CORRECTED BY CLRNC TO GO TO BURGS INTXN. SO WE PROCEEDED TO BURGS INTXN AND WERE QUESTIONED BY ATC WHO THEN TURNED US TO BRIGGS. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT ON A DEP PROC THAT 2 FIXES ARE SHOWN THAT ARE SO VERY CLOSE IN THE WAY THEY ARE PRONOUNCED. ONE OF THE NAMES NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THEY DO NOT GO INTO PIT VERY OFTEN AND HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROB BEFORE. THEY WERE HEADED FOR DEN BUT HAVE HAD UNUSUAL ROUTINGS AT SOME ARPTS SO DID NOT QUESTION THIS CLRNC TOO MUCH. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT FO HAD BEEN THROUGH THE CORRECTION OF THE CLRNC AND BELIEVED IT WAS NOW CORRECT. THE SIMILAR SOUNDING NAMES NEED TO BE CHANGED SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE.

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.