A DC9 flight crew inadvertently deviate from assigned course.

Attributes
ACN	597494
Time
Date	200310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	597494
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our filed route was J42 bkw J147 lwb gve. After passing lwb ATC asked if we were proceeding to gve. The captain replied we are J147. ATC then said go direct to gve. Both the captain and first officer were set up for J147 after lwb. Lwb is a new VOR on the sep/03 hi 2/8 chart also J147 was changed to include lwb. The airway depiction for J147 between bkw and lwb is offset due to map congestion. I did not see the J147 in this area until after the error. I mistook J147 east of lwb as the route because I was looking for J147. Is there any way to make the depiction for J147 between bkw and lwb more user friendly to prevent future errors?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY DEVIATE FROM ASSIGNED COURSE.

Narrative: OUR FILED RTE WAS J42 BKW J147 LWB GVE. AFTER PASSING LWB ATC ASKED IF WE WERE PROCEEDING TO GVE. THE CAPT REPLIED WE ARE J147. ATC THEN SAID GO DIRECT TO GVE. BOTH THE CAPT AND FO WERE SET UP FOR J147 AFTER LWB. LWB IS A NEW VOR ON THE SEP/03 HI 2/8 CHART ALSO J147 WAS CHANGED TO INCLUDE LWB. THE AIRWAY DEPICTION FOR J147 BTWN BKW AND LWB IS OFFSET DUE TO MAP CONGESTION. I DID NOT SEE THE J147 IN THIS AREA UNTIL AFTER THE ERROR. I MISTOOK J147 E OF LWB AS THE RTE BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR J147. IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THE DEPICTION FOR J147 BTWN BKW AND LWB MORE USER FRIENDLY TO PREVENT FUTURE ERRORS?

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.