A320 flight crew tracked to the wrong fix during phl SID departure due to similar sounding fix names...

Attributes
ACN	545707
Time
Date	200204
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : phl enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	545707
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2677
ASRS Report	546370
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Extensive rerte right after takeoff. Cleared direct 'ditch' intersection (not spelled out by controller) then given long rerte to lax. Copilot, flying with autoplt on, inserted intersection to FMC and aircraft began flying to it. ATC came back and gave us a different heading saying we were going the wrong way. I looked closer at the display and saw we were going to 'pitch' not 'ditch.' I confirmed 'delta india tango charlie hotel' then proceeded direct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC TRACKED TO THE WRONG FIX DURING PHL SID DEP DUE TO SIMILAR SOUNDING FIX NAMES.

Narrative: EXTENSIVE RERTE RIGHT AFTER TKOF. CLRED DIRECT 'DITCH' INTXN (NOT SPELLED OUT BY CTLR) THEN GIVEN LONG RERTE TO LAX. COPLT, FLYING WITH AUTOPLT ON, INSERTED INTXN TO FMC AND ACFT BEGAN FLYING TO IT. ATC CAME BACK AND GAVE US A DIFFERENT HDG SAYING WE WERE GOING THE WRONG WAY. I LOOKED CLOSER AT THE DISPLAY AND SAW WE WERE GOING TO 'PITCH' NOT 'DITCH.' I CONFIRMED 'DELTA INDIA TANGO CHARLIE HOTEL' THEN PROCEEDED DIRECT.

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.