B737-300 crew had a track deviation in ZAU class a.

Attributes
ACN	506510
Time
Date	200103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cys.airport
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 902
ASRS Report	506510
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our original flight plan was direct pll PLL275/065 FOD J94 onl J148 cys che dta J140 oal MADN3 oak. On climb out we were cleared direct 'cheyenne.' I line selected 'che' and then set up a direct intercept to 'che.' the captain was hand flying the aircraft when he confirmed the intercept and was busy with airspeed and heading changes. I then executed it and set up all the abeam points and winds. At XA55 hours the controller asked where we were filed to? I told her cheyenne. She said we were not going there. We were in fact going to hayden (che) and not cheyenne (cys). Bottom line is I mistook 'che' for 'cys' and didn't confirm with the chart. Human factors: very busy on climb out from ord. Captain was hand flying. When I selected 'che' instead of 'cys' the headings were very similar and the actual waypoint was off the 320 NM scope. I should have confirmed 'che' as cheyenne on the aeronautical chart, but failed to do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD A TRACK DEV IN ZAU CLASS A.

Narrative: OUR ORIGINAL FLT PLAN WAS DIRECT PLL PLL275/065 FOD J94 ONL J148 CYS CHE DTA J140 OAL MADN3 OAK. ON CLBOUT WE WERE CLRED DIRECT 'CHEYENNE.' I LINE SELECTED 'CHE' AND THEN SET UP A DIRECT INTERCEPT TO 'CHE.' THE CAPT WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT WHEN HE CONFIRMED THE INTERCEPT AND WAS BUSY WITH AIRSPD AND HEADING CHANGES. I THEN EXECUTED IT AND SET UP ALL THE ABEAM POINTS AND WINDS. AT XA55 HRS THE CTLR ASKED WHERE WE WERE FILED TO? I TOLD HER CHEYENNE. SHE SAID WE WERE NOT GOING THERE. WE WERE IN FACT GOING TO HAYDEN (CHE) AND NOT CHEYENNE (CYS). BOTTOM LINE IS I MISTOOK 'CHE' FOR 'CYS' AND DIDN'T CONFIRM WITH THE CHART. HUMAN FACTORS: VERY BUSY ON CLBOUT FROM ORD. CAPT WAS HAND FLYING. WHEN I SELECTED 'CHE' INSTEAD OF 'CYS' THE HEADINGS WERE VERY SIMILAR AND THE ACTUAL WAYPOINT WAS OFF THE 320 NM SCOPE. I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED 'CHE' AS CHEYENNE ON THE AERONAUTICAL CHART, BUT FAILED TO DO SO.

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.