B727 crew had track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	448644
Time
Date	199909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lmn.vortac
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	448644
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our clearance was direct from lmn to stl which is correctly 115 degrees for 92 mi. Because of the very confusing and cluttered depiction of the airways/direct rtes on commercial charts us hi(1) dated jul 1999, we incorrectly tracked outbound on the 094 degree radial for 40 mi before noticing our error. Both the captain and copilot misread the chart and confirmed the error. ZKC either did not notice or did not comment on this potential navigation deviation and we corrected back to the proper course. I am aware of other instances of misreading this extremely cluttered chart in the lower r-hand corner and believe that it is unsatisfactory and unsafe. Commercial chart maker should publish an additional chart to cover missouri. As it is, some rtes need 3 separate charts to completely depict the leg. (The error was discovered after we started receiving the stl VOR suitable for navigation.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW HAD TRACK DEV.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC WAS DIRECT FROM LMN TO STL WHICH IS CORRECTLY 115 DEGS FOR 92 MI. BECAUSE OF THE VERY CONFUSING AND CLUTTERED DEPICTION OF THE AIRWAYS/DIRECT RTES ON COMMERCIAL CHARTS US HI(1) DATED JUL 1999, WE INCORRECTLY TRACKED OUTBOUND ON THE 094 DEG RADIAL FOR 40 MI BEFORE NOTICING OUR ERROR. BOTH THE CAPT AND COPLT MISREAD THE CHART AND CONFIRMED THE ERROR. ZKC EITHER DID NOT NOTICE OR DID NOT COMMENT ON THIS POTENTIAL NAV DEV AND WE CORRECTED BACK TO THE PROPER COURSE. I AM AWARE OF OTHER INSTANCES OF MISREADING THIS EXTREMELY CLUTTERED CHART IN THE LOWER R-HAND CORNER AND BELIEVE THAT IT IS UNSATISFACTORY AND UNSAFE. COMMERCIAL CHART MAKER SHOULD PUBLISH AN ADDITIONAL CHART TO COVER MISSOURI. AS IT IS, SOME RTES NEED 3 SEPARATE CHARTS TO COMPLETELY DEPICT THE LEG. (THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED AFTER WE STARTED RECEIVING THE STL VOR SUITABLE FOR NAV.)

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.