Narrative:

The crew taxied out to runway 22 at eau for a flight to rhi. At the end of the taxi checklist the first officer, whose first flight it was in the area, asked the captain to describe the initial route segment to rhi. The captain stated it was the 241 degree of eau to rhi. As I glanced at the chart I saw the 241 degree radial from rhi and confirmed the heading to intercept the 241 degree radial, instead of the 058 degrees from eau. We took the runway and took off. As we climbed out we initially turned towards rhi, but the captain stated 'what am I doing? The 241 degree radial is southwest.' we then turned to intercept the 241 degrees off eau and contacted center. Center radar contacted us and told us to climb to 9000 ft. We then ran the climb checklist and leveled at 9000 ft. Center then asked our DME and we said 26 DME. He asked if we were 26 DME northeast of eau. We replied affirmative without looking down to confirm our exact location. We were then switched to another frequency, but could not raise them. We switched back and informed center. Center told us to continue to try every 2 mins. At this point we were 40 mi in the opposite direction. By the time we realized what had happened center called us. We idented and turned 180 degrees and proceeded back to eau and then on to rhi. No conflicts occurred and the flight arrived 20 mins late. The factors that contributed to this were as follows: a senior captain and first officer who were overly confident. First officer was new to the northern hub and first day -- had previously been flying in the sourthern hub -- mem. ATC inability to correctly identify the flight and not correct the situation. Inability of first officer to correct the captain's mis-statement. The tedium of flying the same route 8 times a day, 95 hours a month, 12 months a yr for 3 yrs.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT FLC TKOF AND FLY THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THEIR FILED RTE. THEY BLAME THEIR NAV ERROR ON COMPLACENCY AMONG OTHER THINGS.

Narrative: THE CREW TAXIED OUT TO RWY 22 AT EAU FOR A FLT TO RHI. AT THE END OF THE TAXI CHKLIST THE FO, WHOSE FIRST FLT IT WAS IN THE AREA, ASKED THE CAPT TO DESCRIBE THE INITIAL RTE SEGMENT TO RHI. THE CAPT STATED IT WAS THE 241 DEG OF EAU TO RHI. AS I GLANCED AT THE CHART I SAW THE 241 DEG RADIAL FROM RHI AND CONFIRMED THE HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE 241 DEG RADIAL, INSTEAD OF THE 058 DEGS FROM EAU. WE TOOK THE RWY AND TOOK OFF. AS WE CLBED OUT WE INITIALLY TURNED TOWARDS RHI, BUT THE CAPT STATED 'WHAT AM I DOING? THE 241 DEG RADIAL IS SW.' WE THEN TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE 241 DEGS OFF EAU AND CONTACTED CTR. CTR RADAR CONTACTED US AND TOLD US TO CLB TO 9000 FT. WE THEN RAN THE CLB CHKLIST AND LEVELED AT 9000 FT. CTR THEN ASKED OUR DME AND WE SAID 26 DME. HE ASKED IF WE WERE 26 DME NE OF EAU. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN TO CONFIRM OUR EXACT LOCATION. WE WERE THEN SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ, BUT COULD NOT RAISE THEM. WE SWITCHED BACK AND INFORMED CTR. CTR TOLD US TO CONTINUE TO TRY EVERY 2 MINS. AT THIS POINT WE WERE 40 MI IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BY THE TIME WE REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED CTR CALLED US. WE IDENTED AND TURNED 180 DEGS AND PROCEEDED BACK TO EAU AND THEN ON TO RHI. NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED AND THE FLT ARRIVED 20 MINS LATE. THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS WERE AS FOLLOWS: A SENIOR CAPT AND FO WHO WERE OVERLY CONFIDENT. FO WAS NEW TO THE NORTHERN HUB AND FIRST DAY -- HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FLYING IN THE SOURTHERN HUB -- MEM. ATC INABILITY TO CORRECTLY IDENT THE FLT AND NOT CORRECT THE SIT. INABILITY OF FO TO CORRECT THE CAPT'S MIS-STATEMENT. THE TEDIUM OF FLYING THE SAME RTE 8 TIMES A DAY, 95 HRS A MONTH, 12 MONTHS A YR FOR 3 YRS.

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.