Narrative:

ATC assigned route was J-80 wbound to air, then direct destination (osu) at FL390. Approaching ZNY/ZOB boundary, we were given several off-airway vectors. ZOB gave us a new clearance and descent clearance was, 'proceed direct frick, direct bremn.' bremn is spelled b-r-east-M-north. We entered f-r-I-C-K into the FMS and proceeded direct. This required a turn to the right of approximately 20 degrees from our previously assigned heading. About the same time, we began a descent and began our descent checklist and related duties. Shortly after this, ZOB gave us a turn to the left and said 'you were told to proceed to frick.' at about the same time, we had begun to review approach charts and located an intersection 'F-right-I-C-C.' this intersection is not depicted on the high altitude airway chart. Problem: there are 2 intxns with identical pronunciation about 240 NM apart. Neither one is depicted on the high altitude airway chart. F-r-I-C-K is at N4251.9 W8538.6, f-r-I-C-C is at N3945.3 28208.5. Contributing factors: 1) off-course vectors from the original route masked a slight course deviation. Frick was 20 degrees right and fricc was 10 degrees left. 2) cleared to a new fix not on our original route. 3) logical spelling is f-r-I-C-K. 4) neither fix is on high altitude chart. We were in cruise mode using high chart, not approach chart. 5) simultaneous initiation of ATC descent and related cockpit duties. Corrective action: 1) change name of f-r-I-C-C. 2) if similar sounding fix is anywhere in same region, ATC should be aware and should be certain pilot knows. 3) fixes routinely assigned by ATC (airport arrival fixes) should be printed on high altitude charts or ATC must confirm pilot knows correct location of fix.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA50 FLT CREW TURNED TOWARD A SIMILAR SOUNDING INTXN, FRICK VERSUS FRICC. OBSERVED WRONG TURN AND ISSUED A CORRECTION.

Narrative: ATC ASSIGNED RTE WAS J-80 WBOUND TO AIR, THEN DIRECT DEST (OSU) AT FL390. APCHING ZNY/ZOB BOUNDARY, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL OFF-AIRWAY VECTORS. ZOB GAVE US A NEW CLRNC AND DSCNT CLRNC WAS, 'PROCEED DIRECT FRICK, DIRECT BREMN.' BREMN IS SPELLED B-R-E-M-N. WE ENTERED F-R-I-C-K INTO THE FMS AND PROCEEDED DIRECT. THIS REQUIRED A TURN TO THE R OF APPROX 20 DEGS FROM OUR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED HDG. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, WE BEGAN A DSCNT AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT CHKLIST AND RELATED DUTIES. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, ZOB GAVE US A TURN TO THE L AND SAID 'YOU WERE TOLD TO PROCEED TO FRICK.' AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, WE HAD BEGUN TO REVIEW APCH CHARTS AND LOCATED AN INTXN 'F-R-I-C-C.' THIS INTXN IS NOT DEPICTED ON THE HIGH ALT AIRWAY CHART. PROB: THERE ARE 2 INTXNS WITH IDENTICAL PRONUNCIATION ABOUT 240 NM APART. NEITHER ONE IS DEPICTED ON THE HIGH ALT AIRWAY CHART. F-R-I-C-K IS AT N4251.9 W8538.6, F-R-I-C-C IS AT N3945.3 28208.5. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) OFF-COURSE VECTORS FROM THE ORIGINAL RTE MASKED A SLIGHT COURSE DEV. FRICK WAS 20 DEGS R AND FRICC WAS 10 DEGS L. 2) CLRED TO A NEW FIX NOT ON OUR ORIGINAL RTE. 3) LOGICAL SPELLING IS F-R-I-C-K. 4) NEITHER FIX IS ON HIGH ALT CHART. WE WERE IN CRUISE MODE USING HIGH CHART, NOT APCH CHART. 5) SIMULTANEOUS INITIATION OF ATC DSCNT AND RELATED COCKPIT DUTIES. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) CHANGE NAME OF F-R-I-C-C. 2) IF SIMILAR SOUNDING FIX IS ANYWHERE IN SAME REGION, ATC SHOULD BE AWARE AND SHOULD BE CERTAIN PLT KNOWS. 3) FIXES ROUTINELY ASSIGNED BY ATC (ARPT ARR FIXES) SHOULD BE PRINTED ON HIGH ALT CHARTS OR ATC MUST CONFIRM PLT KNOWS CORRECT LOCATION OF FIX.

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.