An air carrier pilot experienced confusion with similar-appearing waypoint names. Reporter suggests ...

Narrative:

I would like to point out a potentially serious human factors error. Please note that my previous report regarding missing database waypoint KU720 was in error. I flew the same aircraft back from jfk to sfo today; and -- after considerable FMC fix page programming work -- finally noticed this database waypoint was valid. I had been erroneously attempting to enter KU720 in the FMC plan route the previous day by using a numeric 'zero' instead of the alpha letter 'O.' as printed on our flight plans and commercial charts; it is very difficult to visually distinguish a zero from the alpha letter O. If the first officer and I had not rigorously followed the operating manual requirement to check FMC flight plan route and legs the previous day; I am convinced that a serious navigation error would have occurred. I have four corrective recommendations: 1) on flight plans; our computers be re-programmed to print the alpha character 'O' in a heavily slanted font to visually distinguish it from the number zero. 2) we urge the commercial chart company to use the same heavily slanted font when printing their charts. 3) this potential human factors error be added to all fleet ground school curriculums so our crews are alerted. 4) this debrief should be shared with other airlines in the interest of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT EXPERIENCED CONFUSION WITH SIMILAR-APPEARING WAYPOINT NAMES. RPTR SUGGESTS THAT A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE NUMBER 0 (ZERO) AND THE LETTER O BE MADE BY ALL AERONAUTICAL PUBLISHERS TO PREVENT CONFUSION IN FLT PLANS AND DATABASE ENTRIES.

Narrative: I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS HUMAN FACTORS ERROR. PLEASE NOTE THAT MY PREVIOUS RPT REGARDING MISSING DATABASE WAYPOINT KU720 WAS IN ERROR. I FLEW THE SAME ACFT BACK FROM JFK TO SFO TODAY; AND -- AFTER CONSIDERABLE FMC FIX PAGE PROGRAMMING WORK -- FINALLY NOTICED THIS DATABASE WAYPOINT WAS VALID. I HAD BEEN ERRONEOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO ENTER KU720 IN THE FMC PLAN RTE THE PREVIOUS DAY BY USING A NUMERIC 'ZERO' INSTEAD OF THE ALPHA LETTER 'O.' AS PRINTED ON OUR FLT PLANS AND COMMERCIAL CHARTS; IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO VISUALLY DISTINGUISH A ZERO FROM THE ALPHA LETTER O. IF THE FO AND I HAD NOT RIGOROUSLY FOLLOWED THE OPERATING MANUAL REQUIREMENT TO CHK FMC FLT PLAN RTE AND LEGS THE PREVIOUS DAY; I AM CONVINCED THAT A SERIOUS NAVIGATION ERROR WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE FOUR CORRECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) ON FLT PLANS; OUR COMPUTERS BE RE-PROGRAMMED TO PRINT THE ALPHA CHARACTER 'O' IN A HEAVILY SLANTED FONT TO VISUALLY DISTINGUISH IT FROM THE NUMBER ZERO. 2) WE URGE THE COMMERCIAL CHART COMPANY TO USE THE SAME HEAVILY SLANTED FONT WHEN PRINTING THEIR CHARTS. 3) THIS POTENTIAL HUMAN FACTORS ERROR BE ADDED TO ALL FLEET GND SCHOOL CURRICULUMS SO OUR CREWS ARE ALERTED. 4) THIS DEBRIEF SHOULD BE SHARED WITH OTHER AIRLINES IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY.

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.

Attributes
ACN	712684
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	712684
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

An air carrier pilot experienced confusion with similar-appearing waypoint names. Reporter suggests that a distinction between the number 0 (zero) and the letter O be made by all aeronautical publishers to prevent confusion in flight plans and database entries.