C172 pilot IFR on a pleasure flight is assigned direct to an unfamiliar fix by ric approach.

Attributes
ACN	564352
Time
Date	200210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon tracon : ric.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12.9 flight time total : 108.5 flight time type : 88.7
ASRS Report	564352
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were conducting an IFR flight to ric. We were cleared direct ric by the iad approach control. We were then handed off to richmond approach. 5 mins later, and still 60 NM from ric we were cleared direct to jesty intersection. The aircraft has an IFR certified GPS, we filed '/G' for an equipment code, and the autoplt was engaged and slaved to the GPS for navigation. I was not familiar with 'jesty,' and I requested a spelling clarification. The richmond approach controller responded using the phonetic alphabet, however, the tone of the response indicated I should have known how to spell it. Realizing that I should review my flight preparation, I took the time following the trip to loop up the intersection. Jesty is an FAF on the ILS runway 2 approach. This fix is not part of the en route structure, and is one of many fixes on the 12 instrument approach procedures at ric. Finally, this fix is only used for the ILS runway 2 approach. I am filing this report for several reasons. Even though safety was never a factor during this flight, I think it could be in sits where the approach control frequency is very busy, and/or the flight is a bit closer to the destination and the airspace is busier. It is also unreasonable, I think, to expect pilots to know all of the intersection names, especially those that cannot be located on the chart relevant to the flight operation being conducted (en route versus approach). During the conduct of the flight, trying to guess the fix spelling could be a significant problem in high workload portions of flight. The delays in proceeding on the expected course could cause issues for proper aircraft separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT IFR ON A PLEASURE FLT IS ASSIGNED DIRECT TO AN UNFAMILIAR FIX BY RIC APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE CONDUCTING AN IFR FLT TO RIC. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT RIC BY THE IAD APCH CTL. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO RICHMOND APCH. 5 MINS LATER, AND STILL 60 NM FROM RIC WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO JESTY INTXN. THE ACFT HAS AN IFR CERTIFIED GPS, WE FILED '/G' FOR AN EQUIP CODE, AND THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND SLAVED TO THE GPS FOR NAV. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH 'JESTY,' AND I REQUESTED A SPELLING CLARIFICATION. THE RICHMOND APCH CTLR RESPONDED USING THE PHONETIC ALPHABET, HOWEVER, THE TONE OF THE RESPONSE INDICATED I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW TO SPELL IT. REALIZING THAT I SHOULD REVIEW MY FLT PREPARATION, I TOOK THE TIME FOLLOWING THE TRIP TO LOOP UP THE INTXN. JESTY IS AN FAF ON THE ILS RWY 2 APCH. THIS FIX IS NOT PART OF THE ENRTE STRUCTURE, AND IS ONE OF MANY FIXES ON THE 12 INST APCH PROCS AT RIC. FINALLY, THIS FIX IS ONLY USED FOR THE ILS RWY 2 APCH. I AM FILING THIS RPT FOR SEVERAL REASONS. EVEN THOUGH SAFETY WAS NEVER A FACTOR DURING THIS FLT, I THINK IT COULD BE IN SITS WHERE THE APCH CTL FREQ IS VERY BUSY, AND/OR THE FLT IS A BIT CLOSER TO THE DEST AND THE AIRSPACE IS BUSIER. IT IS ALSO UNREASONABLE, I THINK, TO EXPECT PLTS TO KNOW ALL OF THE INTXN NAMES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT CANNOT BE LOCATED ON THE CHART RELEVANT TO THE FLT OP BEING CONDUCTED (ENRTE VERSUS APCH). DURING THE CONDUCT OF THE FLT, TRYING TO GUESS THE FIX SPELLING COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT PROB IN HIGH WORKLOAD PORTIONS OF FLT. THE DELAYS IN PROCEEDING ON THE EXPECTED COURSE COULD CAUSE ISSUES FOR PROPER ACFT SEPARATION.

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.