Narrative:

On a flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2; we were given a route amendment by ZDC; somewhere north of diw NDB; to fly J121 after norfolk; hampton (hto); direct. When manually entering the route into the GPS; fix by fix; we accidentally substituted cedar lake VOR (vcn) for sea isle VOR (sie); the vcn to the avalo intersection. This caused us to deviate from J121 after crossing the radds intersection. About 3-5 mins later; ZDC asked if we were given a heading to fly. We responded negative; and then were instructed to make a right turn to a heading of 080 degrees to re-join J121 and cross brigs at FL210. We apologized and told them we had a slight 'navigation glitch.' they responded with 'no problem.' while getting re-situated onto J121; we started down late for the brigs crossing restr. We missed brigs by approximately 200-300 ft; crossing it at around FL213. We were then handed off to ZNY without further incident. On the high altitude chart; the information box for vcn VOR lies directly underneath the sie VOR. It is very easy to confuse those 2 VOR's. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this LR35A has a king GPS installed. This GPS model is capable of executing departures and arrs but does not have an airways database capability. In this instance; the first officer misread the NOAA chart and entered vcn which on the government chart appeared to identify J121 when in fact sie was the next NAVAID. At the time of the route assignment; the crew became task saturated because the first officer was manually entering route data and the captain was obtaining arrival ATIS and answering the radio calls. Reporter stated that he was very busy and did not have time to back up the first officer who is new to the aircraft. They did not discover the error until after ATC called.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR35A CREW ERRONEOUSLY ENTERED VCN IN PLACE OF SIE IN THE GPS NAV SYS THEREBY DEVIATING FROM J121. AFTER CORRECTING THE RTE ERROR FLT WAS 300 FT HIGH XING TO BRIGS INTXN.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2; WE WERE GIVEN A RTE AMENDMENT BY ZDC; SOMEWHERE N OF DIW NDB; TO FLY J121 AFTER NORFOLK; HAMPTON (HTO); DIRECT. WHEN MANUALLY ENTERING THE RTE INTO THE GPS; FIX BY FIX; WE ACCIDENTALLY SUBSTITUTED CEDAR LAKE VOR (VCN) FOR SEA ISLE VOR (SIE); THE VCN TO THE AVALO INTXN. THIS CAUSED US TO DEVIATE FROM J121 AFTER XING THE RADDS INTXN. ABOUT 3-5 MINS LATER; ZDC ASKED IF WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO FLY. WE RESPONDED NEGATIVE; AND THEN WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A R TURN TO A HDG OF 080 DEGS TO RE-JOIN J121 AND CROSS BRIGS AT FL210. WE APOLOGIZED AND TOLD THEM WE HAD A SLIGHT 'NAV GLITCH.' THEY RESPONDED WITH 'NO PROB.' WHILE GETTING RE-SITUATED ONTO J121; WE STARTED DOWN LATE FOR THE BRIGS XING RESTR. WE MISSED BRIGS BY APPROX 200-300 FT; XING IT AT AROUND FL213. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO ZNY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ON THE HIGH ALT CHART; THE INFO BOX FOR VCN VOR LIES DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE SIE VOR. IT IS VERY EASY TO CONFUSE THOSE 2 VOR'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS LR35A HAS A KING GPS INSTALLED. THIS GPS MODEL IS CAPABLE OF EXECUTING DEPS AND ARRS BUT DOES NOT HAVE AN AIRWAYS DATABASE CAPABILITY. IN THIS INSTANCE; THE FO MISREAD THE NOAA CHART AND ENTERED VCN WHICH ON THE GOV CHART APPEARED TO IDENT J121 WHEN IN FACT SIE WAS THE NEXT NAVAID. AT THE TIME OF THE RTE ASSIGNMENT; THE CREW BECAME TASK SATURATED BECAUSE THE FO WAS MANUALLY ENTERING RTE DATA AND THE CAPT WAS OBTAINING ARR ATIS AND ANSWERING THE RADIO CALLS. RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS VERY BUSY AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO BACK UP THE FO WHO IS NEW TO THE ACFT. THEY DID NOT DISCOVER THE ERROR UNTIL AFTER ATC CALLED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.