Air carrier incorrectly programs RNAV and is surprised by turn off course.

Attributes
ACN	455140
Time
Date	199911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mxe.vor
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	455140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	455139
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was delayed 2 hours. Consequently flight plan was dropped out of the system. Subsequent controller had us hold east of solberg on the 070 degree radial until new flight plan could be entered into the system. There was some question by the controller as to our final destination. After one turn in hold, we were cleared direct mxe which we then entered into our KNS660 RNAV. Upon reaching mxe (aircraft on autoplt) turned 90 degrees off course and would have continued 180 degrees off course had we not intervened to correct the situation. The controller noticed aircraft off course and queried us for information concerning our unscheduled heading change. We replied that we were turning back to the appropriate course and the problem had been an incorrect waypoint in the RNAV. I believe the cause of the unscheduled heading change was due to confusion of our filed route and destination by ATC resulting in failure on our part to reconcile the new clearance with the old RNAV route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR INCORRECTLY PROGRAMS RNAV AND IS SURPRISED BY TURN OFF COURSE.

Narrative: FLT WAS DELAYED 2 HRS. CONSEQUENTLY FLT PLAN WAS DROPPED OUT OF THE SYS. SUBSEQUENT CTLR HAD US HOLD E OF SOLBERG ON THE 070 DEG RADIAL UNTIL NEW FLT PLAN COULD BE ENTERED INTO THE SYS. THERE WAS SOME QUESTION BY THE CTLR AS TO OUR FINAL DEST. AFTER ONE TURN IN HOLD, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT MXE WHICH WE THEN ENTERED INTO OUR KNS660 RNAV. UPON REACHING MXE (ACFT ON AUTOPLT) TURNED 90 DEGS OFF COURSE AND WOULD HAVE CONTINUED 180 DEGS OFF COURSE HAD WE NOT INTERVENED TO CORRECT THE SIT. THE CTLR NOTICED ACFT OFF COURSE AND QUERIED US FOR INFO CONCERNING OUR UNSCHEDULED HDG CHANGE. WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE TURNING BACK TO THE APPROPRIATE COURSE AND THE PROB HAD BEEN AN INCORRECT WAYPOINT IN THE RNAV. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE UNSCHEDULED HDG CHANGE WAS DUE TO CONFUSION OF OUR FILED RTE AND DEST BY ATC RESULTING IN FAILURE ON OUR PART TO RECONCILE THE NEW CLRNC WITH THE OLD RNAV RTE.

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.