Air carrier crew were cleared airway route to lax but used FMS and flew a direct route.

Attributes
ACN	406751
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	406751
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	406757
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared lax J5, ehf, which was a different routing than usually flown. The FMS was programmed lax direct ehf (our normal routing). ZLA called us when radar showed course deviation (unknown deviation distance). There was no known traffic conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW WERE CLRED AIRWAY RTE TO LAX BUT USED FMS AND FLEW A DIRECT RTE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED LAX J5, EHF, WHICH WAS A DIFFERENT ROUTING THAN USUALLY FLOWN. THE FMS WAS PROGRAMMED LAX DIRECT EHF (OUR NORMAL ROUTING). ZLA CALLED US WHEN RADAR SHOWED COURSE DEV (UNKNOWN DEV DISTANCE). THERE WAS NO KNOWN TFC CONFLICT.

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.