A320 crew flew a direct routing instead of STAR transition.

Attributes
ACN	496680
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mva.vortac
State Reference	NV
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival star : mva.mod2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time type : 855
ASRS Report	496680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had been cleared direct to MVA, direct mod, mod 2 arrival to sfo. After checking on with ZOA, we were cleared via the mod 2 arrival, MVA transition. Since ZOA often reclrs us via the same route we are already flying, and since we were flying to MVA then mod, it did not immediately register that this was a different route than was in the FMGC. I also looked at the FMGC, and saw mod 2 arrival with an MVA transition, overlooking the fact that we had already deleted the intermediary fixes. After passing MVA, ATC asked us to confirm we were flying the MVA transition. When we said we'd verify, ATC gave us a heading of 190 degrees for traffic. We made the turn and were eventually vectored back to mod. We probably went about 5 mi past MVA, and did not hear anything further from ATC, nor did we receive any TCASII warnings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW FLEW A DIRECT ROUTING INSTEAD OF STAR TRANSITION.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO MVA, DIRECT MOD, MOD 2 ARR TO SFO. AFTER CHKING ON WITH ZOA, WE WERE CLRED VIA THE MOD 2 ARR, MVA TRANSITION. SINCE ZOA OFTEN RECLRS US VIA THE SAME RTE WE ARE ALREADY FLYING, AND SINCE WE WERE FLYING TO MVA THEN MOD, IT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REGISTER THAT THIS WAS A DIFFERENT RTE THAN WAS IN THE FMGC. I ALSO LOOKED AT THE FMGC, AND SAW MOD 2 ARR WITH AN MVA TRANSITION, OVERLOOKING THE FACT THAT WE HAD ALREADY DELETED THE INTERMEDIARY FIXES. AFTER PASSING MVA, ATC ASKED US TO CONFIRM WE WERE FLYING THE MVA TRANSITION. WHEN WE SAID WE'D VERIFY, ATC GAVE US A HDG OF 190 DEGS FOR TFC. WE MADE THE TURN AND WERE EVENTUALLY VECTORED BACK TO MOD. WE PROBABLY WENT ABOUT 5 MI PAST MVA, AND DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING FURTHER FROM ATC, NOR DID WE RECEIVE ANY TCASII WARNINGS.

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.