DC9 crew had track deviation in ZTL class a.

Attributes
ACN	518010
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
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 : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	518010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route ZTL asked us if we were proceeding on our cleared route. Controller gave us the route and it was different than what we were doing. I pulled up the pre departure clearance on the ACARS we were given before departure to check what route clearance we were given. It contained the changed route ZTL was asking about. We were flying the original flight plan route. The copilot copies the clearance onto the ATIS form as part of his preflight duties. He had written on the form 'cleared as filed.' the problem was that we weren't cleared as filed. The ACARS clearance showed a different route for the initial part of the flight followed by the original route. I asked the copilot how he had missed the new clearance and he said it was because of fatigue. He told me he had gotten 3 1/2 hours of sleep that night and wasn't thinking straight. Our trip was constructed in a way that almost ensured we would not get a decent night's sleep. The insidious nature of fatigue showed itself in our incident and needs to be addressed by the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD TRACK DEV IN ZTL CLASS A.

Narrative: ENRTE ZTL ASKED US IF WE WERE PROCEEDING ON OUR CLRED RTE. CTLR GAVE US THE RTE AND IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE WERE DOING. I PULLED UP THE PDC ON THE ACARS WE WERE GIVEN BEFORE DEP TO CHK WHAT RTE CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN. IT CONTAINED THE CHANGED RTE ZTL WAS ASKING ABOUT. WE WERE FLYING THE ORIGINAL FLT PLAN RTE. THE COPLT COPIES THE CLRNC ONTO THE ATIS FORM AS PART OF HIS PREFLT DUTIES. HE HAD WRITTEN ON THE FORM 'CLRED AS FILED.' THE PROB WAS THAT WE WEREN'T CLRED AS FILED. THE ACARS CLRNC SHOWED A DIFFERENT RTE FOR THE INITIAL PART OF THE FLT FOLLOWED BY THE ORIGINAL RTE. I ASKED THE COPLT HOW HE HAD MISSED THE NEW CLRNC AND HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF FATIGUE. HE TOLD ME HE HAD GOTTEN 3 1/2 HRS OF SLEEP THAT NIGHT AND WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT. OUR TRIP WAS CONSTRUCTED IN A WAY THAT ALMOST ENSURED WE WOULD NOT GET A DECENT NIGHT'S SLEEP. THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF FATIGUE SHOWED ITSELF IN OUR INCIDENT AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE FAA.

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.