N90 clears A320 direct, as understood by flight crew as 'drems' (pronounced by N90 as 'dreams') only to be challenged for not proceeding direct 'grene' intersection.

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Attributes
ACN	598830
Time
Date	200311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : milton three
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	598830
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication ATC Human Performance FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : n90.tracon

Narrative:

Vectored off the milton arrival to the east (east of drems intersection) on a heading. We were then told to turn left to 040 degrees direct to drems (we heard it pronounced as 'dreams'). We initiated a direct to drems. A short while later, ATC asked us our heading (we were in the turn towards drems) and we said we're turning left to go direct to drems. ATC told us turn right to a heading of 080 degrees and go direct to grene intersection. Grene intersection is on the ILS runway 4 approach plate to lga and drems is on the milton arrival into lga. We now realized that the initial clearance which we heard as 'direct to drems and acknowledged as such was actually 'go direct to grene.' we proceeded direct to grene intersection. There was no traffic conflict that we were advised of by ATC or TCASII. The pronunciation by the controller of 'drems' and 'grene' sounded so similar to each other, we felt that contributed to the confusion. At that point in the flight we were still on the arrival and so thought that 'drems' was what ATC intended for us to go to. Maybe one of these intxns should be renamed to prevent confusion of this same thing in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CLRS A320 DIRECT, AS UNDERSTOOD BY FLT CREW AS 'DREMS' (PRONOUNCED BY N90 AS 'DREAMS') ONLY TO BE CHALLENGED FOR NOT PROCEEDING DIRECT 'GRENE' INTXN.

Narrative: VECTORED OFF THE MILTON ARR TO THE E (E OF DREMS INTXN) ON A HDG. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO TURN L TO 040 DEGS DIRECT TO DREMS (WE HEARD IT PRONOUNCED AS 'DREAMS'). WE INITIATED A DIRECT TO DREMS. A SHORT WHILE LATER, ATC ASKED US OUR HDG (WE WERE IN THE TURN TOWARDS DREMS) AND WE SAID WE'RE TURNING L TO GO DIRECT TO DREMS. ATC TOLD US TURN R TO A HDG OF 080 DEGS AND GO DIRECT TO GRENE INTXN. GRENE INTXN IS ON THE ILS RWY 4 APCH PLATE TO LGA AND DREMS IS ON THE MILTON ARR INTO LGA. WE NOW REALIZED THAT THE INITIAL CLRNC WHICH WE HEARD AS 'DIRECT TO DREMS AND ACKNOWLEDGED AS SUCH WAS ACTUALLY 'GO DIRECT TO GRENE.' WE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO GRENE INTXN. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT THAT WE WERE ADVISED OF BY ATC OR TCASII. THE PRONUNCIATION BY THE CTLR OF 'DREMS' AND 'GRENE' SOUNDED SO SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER, WE FELT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION. AT THAT POINT IN THE FLT WE WERE STILL ON THE ARR AND SO THOUGHT THAT 'DREMS' WAS WHAT ATC INTENDED FOR US TO GO TO. MAYBE ONE OF THESE INTXNS SHOULD BE RENAMED TO PREVENT CONFUSION OF THIS SAME THING IN THE FUTURE.

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.