Crj-200 flight crew while on the whitewater 5 departure from cvg had several waypoints drop out of t...

Attributes
ACN	685910
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : whitewater5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5950 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	685910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	685911
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Initial programming of FMS was done by first officer. I reviewed all FMS programming. Departure was off runway 27; whitewater 5 departure; cadiz transition. Somehow the vhp and bvt waypoints became deleted and we were preceding direct towards cadiz. This happened fairly close to vhp. ATC noticed deviation then cleared us direct bvt to resume the departure. Nothing more was said by ATC and no conflict occurred. We both discussed what might have happened but could not definitely figure out what happened. It is possible that this sequence of events happened. On initial climb out; I remember setting up the FMS to remove the 'vect' waypoint; ie; selected direct carff and then the 'intc crs' soft key to select the intercept course as depicted on the departure. This was done ahead of any ATC instruction. I was working ahead for an expected clearance. It is possible that when given the expected clearance; I selected cadiz in the same manner as above; which would have had us intercepting the bvt cadiz course line. But; this is just theory. To be honest; I cannot figure out exactly how the mistake was made; despite lengthy discussion with my first officer. There may be a small possibility of some sort of database error; one of my reasons for submitting this is to document the incident in case this is true.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-200 FLT CREW WHILE ON THE WHITEWATER 5 DEP FROM CVG HAD SEVERAL WAYPOINTS DROP OUT OF THE FMC. DEP CTLR NOTICES THE INCORRECT COURSE AND NOTIFIES THE FLT CREW.

Narrative: INITIAL PROGRAMMING OF FMS WAS DONE BY FO. I REVIEWED ALL FMS PROGRAMMING. DEP WAS OFF RWY 27; WHITEWATER 5 DEP; CADIZ TRANSITION. SOMEHOW THE VHP AND BVT WAYPOINTS BECAME DELETED AND WE WERE PRECEDING DIRECT TOWARDS CADIZ. THIS HAPPENED FAIRLY CLOSE TO VHP. ATC NOTICED DEV THEN CLRED US DIRECT BVT TO RESUME THE DEP. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID BY ATC AND NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. WE BOTH DISCUSSED WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED BUT COULD NOT DEFINITELY FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS HAPPENED. ON INITIAL CLBOUT; I REMEMBER SETTING UP THE FMS TO REMOVE THE 'VECT' WAYPOINT; IE; SELECTED DIRECT CARFF AND THEN THE 'INTC CRS' SOFT KEY TO SELECT THE INTERCEPT COURSE AS DEPICTED ON THE DEP. THIS WAS DONE AHEAD OF ANY ATC INSTRUCTION. I WAS WORKING AHEAD FOR AN EXPECTED CLRNC. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WHEN GIVEN THE EXPECTED CLRNC; I SELECTED CADIZ IN THE SAME MANNER AS ABOVE; WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD US INTERCEPTING THE BVT CADIZ COURSE LINE. BUT; THIS IS JUST THEORY. TO BE HONEST; I CANNOT FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW THE MISTAKE WAS MADE; DESPITE LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH MY FO. THERE MAY BE A SMALL POSSIBILITY OF SOME SORT OF DATABASE ERROR; ONE OF MY REASONS FOR SUBMITTING THIS IS TO DOCUMENT THE INCIDENT IN CASE THIS IS TRUE.

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.

Crj-200 flight crew while on the whitewater 5 departure from cvg had several waypoints drop out of the FMC. Departure controller notices the incorrect course and notifies the flight crew.