ZTL controller experienced frequency congestion and issued incorrect routing to IFR aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	614596
Time
Date	200402
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 22 flight time total : 10
ASRS Report	614596
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft X called for clearance on 125.15, the regular ATC frequency at ZTL sector 48. Sector 48 was combined with sectors 45 and 46 so 3 frequencys were in use. The initial transmission was unreadable. After the second transmission I advised aircraft X to standby. I tried to complete all the tasks pending so I could talk to aircraft X without interruption by the other frequencys. I cleared aircraft X to 'pawalkie' via 'holston mountain 180 at 11' (HMV180011) 'as filed.' aircraft X readback was blocked by another frequency and I had him read it back again. Aircraft X departed at XA57Z and I climbed him to 10000 ft. When I went to switch him about 1 min later I noticed he was sbound. I asked him where he was going and got a route display. He was going to the barretts mountain 1800 at 11 (bzm 1800 at 11). The route display showed almost due wbound. It dawned on me that pwa wasn't palwalkie it was wiley post in oklahoma. I verified his destination was wiley post and cleared him to the next fix on his route of flight -- SOT360028 (snowbird) he questioned that fix and I repeated the clearance. He took it and I switched him to the next sector. He was last seen heading due north. Fortunately there wasn't any traffic in the vicinity. The next sector cleared him direct wiley post and put in the latitude/longitude for wiley post so the flight plan would process.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR EXPERIENCED FREQ CONGESTION AND ISSUED INCORRECT ROUTING TO IFR ACFT.

Narrative: ACFT X CALLED FOR CLRNC ON 125.15, THE REGULAR ATC FREQ AT ZTL SECTOR 48. SECTOR 48 WAS COMBINED WITH SECTORS 45 AND 46 SO 3 FREQS WERE IN USE. THE INITIAL XMISSION WAS UNREADABLE. AFTER THE SECOND XMISSION I ADVISED ACFT X TO STANDBY. I TRIED TO COMPLETE ALL THE TASKS PENDING SO I COULD TALK TO ACFT X WITHOUT INTERRUPTION BY THE OTHER FREQS. I CLRED ACFT X TO 'PAWALKIE' VIA 'HOLSTON MOUNTAIN 180 AT 11' (HMV180011) 'AS FILED.' ACFT X READBACK WAS BLOCKED BY ANOTHER FREQ AND I HAD HIM READ IT BACK AGAIN. ACFT X DEPARTED AT XA57Z AND I CLBED HIM TO 10000 FT. WHEN I WENT TO SWITCH HIM ABOUT 1 MIN LATER I NOTICED HE WAS SBOUND. I ASKED HIM WHERE HE WAS GOING AND GOT A RTE DISPLAY. HE WAS GOING TO THE BARRETTS MOUNTAIN 1800 AT 11 (BZM 1800 AT 11). THE RTE DISPLAY SHOWED ALMOST DUE WBOUND. IT DAWNED ON ME THAT PWA WASN'T PALWALKIE IT WAS WILEY POST IN OKLAHOMA. I VERIFIED HIS DEST WAS WILEY POST AND CLRED HIM TO THE NEXT FIX ON HIS RTE OF FLT -- SOT360028 (SNOWBIRD) HE QUESTIONED THAT FIX AND I REPEATED THE CLRNC. HE TOOK IT AND I SWITCHED HIM TO THE NEXT SECTOR. HE WAS LAST SEEN HDG DUE N. FORTUNATELY THERE WASN'T ANY TFC IN THE VICINITY. THE NEXT SECTOR CLRED HIM DIRECT WILEY POST AND PUT IN THE LATITUDE/LONGITUDE FOR WILEY POST SO THE FLT PLAN WOULD PROCESS.

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.