Narrative:

Upon checking in with ZOA controller, as usual, ZOA stated the clearance of 'cleared to the oak airport via pxn and pxn 2 arrival.' the filed route was via the marvn arrival. I rogered it and we even talked about how oak always restates the fix and arrival but failed to change it in the box. Upon departing the pxn fix, the controller almost immediately asked if we were on the pxn 2 arrival. He then cleared us directly to the bored fix and the remainder of the arrival. Having flown this route many times in 10 yrs, the fact that the controller restated an arrival didn't cause me to key on the fact that it was different than filed. Being that it is done every day, and 99.9% of time, it is the same as the filed route, causes complacency. There was no emphasis that the new STAR was different from the filed route. An emphasis on a different STAR might help and not restating the arrival every time when it is the same as the filed route might cause us to be more receptive to a stated arrival in as a new clearance. Supplemental information from acn 598617: it certainly would help if ATC states that a revised clearance is coming and not just give us a clearance. I do, however, assure my responsibility and will try to be more vigilant when given a clearance, whether it is a change or just a verification.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW MISSES A ZOA CTLR CLRNC CHANGE FROM THE MARVN STAR TO THE PXN STAR APCHING PXN VORTAC FOR LNDG AT OAK.

Narrative: UPON CHKING IN WITH ZOA CTLR, AS USUAL, ZOA STATED THE CLRNC OF 'CLRED TO THE OAK ARPT VIA PXN AND PXN 2 ARR.' THE FILED RTE WAS VIA THE MARVN ARR. I ROGERED IT AND WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT HOW OAK ALWAYS RESTATES THE FIX AND ARR BUT FAILED TO CHANGE IT IN THE BOX. UPON DEPARTING THE PXN FIX, THE CTLR ALMOST IMMEDIATELY ASKED IF WE WERE ON THE PXN 2 ARR. HE THEN CLRED US DIRECTLY TO THE BORED FIX AND THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR. HAVING FLOWN THIS RTE MANY TIMES IN 10 YRS, THE FACT THAT THE CTLR RESTATED AN ARR DIDN'T CAUSE ME TO KEY ON THE FACT THAT IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN FILED. BEING THAT IT IS DONE EVERY DAY, AND 99.9% OF TIME, IT IS THE SAME AS THE FILED RTE, CAUSES COMPLACENCY. THERE WAS NO EMPHASIS THAT THE NEW STAR WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE FILED RTE. AN EMPHASIS ON A DIFFERENT STAR MIGHT HELP AND NOT RESTATING THE ARR EVERY TIME WHEN IT IS THE SAME AS THE FILED RTE MIGHT CAUSE US TO BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO A STATED ARR IN AS A NEW CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 598617: IT CERTAINLY WOULD HELP IF ATC STATES THAT A REVISED CLRNC IS COMING AND NOT JUST GIVE US A CLRNC. I DO, HOWEVER, ASSURE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL TRY TO BE MORE VIGILANT WHEN GIVEN A CLRNC, WHETHER IT IS A CHANGE OR JUST A VERIFICATION.

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.