A B777 dispatcher reported that a fix was misspelled in the FMC database.

Attributes
ACN	594829
Time
Date	200309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : bos.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	594829
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The flight sent an ACARS report that the fix 'windl' on their flight plan was not in the FMC database. After looking at the high level chart it was apparent that the correct spelling of the fix was actually 'wndel.' obviously the individual who had loaded the fix into unimatic had made a typographical error. I told the crew to input the correct spelling of the fix into their FMC and they were happy. I advised dispatch services and they corrected the database and then proceeded with the tedious process of updating every route that went via this fix. Since the system has no effective mechanism in place to prevent such an error in the first place, every flight plan issued via this fix was corrupt and had presented the crews of those flts with the same problem (rejection of the FMC uplink, manual entry, etc). This crew just happened to feel it was worth mentioning and that's the only way a remedy would have occurred. This type of problem is all too common and is the direct result of a system that requires manual maintenance of its database. To ensure a safe operation pilots need to be certain that the support they are receiving is reliable. If we cannot fulfill that role then we will cease to be of value as a resource.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 DISPATCHER RPTED THAT A FIX WAS MISSPELLED IN THE FMC DATABASE.

Narrative: THE FLT SENT AN ACARS RPT THAT THE FIX 'WINDL' ON THEIR FLT PLAN WAS NOT IN THE FMC DATABASE. AFTER LOOKING AT THE HIGH LEVEL CHART IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CORRECT SPELLING OF THE FIX WAS ACTUALLY 'WNDEL.' OBVIOUSLY THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD LOADED THE FIX INTO UNIMATIC HAD MADE A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR. I TOLD THE CREW TO INPUT THE CORRECT SPELLING OF THE FIX INTO THEIR FMC AND THEY WERE HAPPY. I ADVISED DISPATCH SVCS AND THEY CORRECTED THE DATABASE AND THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE TEDIOUS PROCESS OF UPDATING EVERY RTE THAT WENT VIA THIS FIX. SINCE THE SYS HAS NO EFFECTIVE MECHANISM IN PLACE TO PREVENT SUCH AN ERROR IN THE FIRST PLACE, EVERY FLT PLAN ISSUED VIA THIS FIX WAS CORRUPT AND HAD PRESENTED THE CREWS OF THOSE FLTS WITH THE SAME PROB (REJECTION OF THE FMC UPLINK, MANUAL ENTRY, ETC). THIS CREW JUST HAPPENED TO FEEL IT WAS WORTH MENTIONING AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY A REMEDY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS TYPE OF PROB IS ALL TOO COMMON AND IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF A SYS THAT REQUIRES MANUAL MAINT OF ITS DATABASE. TO ENSURE A SAFE OP PLTS NEED TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE SUPPORT THEY ARE RECEIVING IS RELIABLE. IF WE CANNOT FULFILL THAT ROLE THEN WE WILL CEASE TO BE OF VALUE AS A RESOURCE.

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.