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Air carrier captain operating in rhein airspace deviates from cleared track when cleared to fix off his route that sounds similar to a fix on his route.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 731923 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200703 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : gulka |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : eduu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 124 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 731923 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 731927 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
While en route we received a clearance from rhein control to proceed direct 'gorko' and this was what we read back. Gorko was about 3 points down the line on our flight plan. After a few mins the controller asked us to confirm that we were proceeding direct gorko and we replied that yes; we were direct gorko. After about another 3 or 4 mins he called again and asked to confirm that we were proceeding direct G; U; left; K; a; which we replied no; we are direct gorko and then spelled it. We immediately turned for gulka which was not on our flight plan. The misunderstanding came because of the similarity of the 2 intersection names and our difficulty with the controller's accent. We were both positive we had heard gorko and this was in fact on our flight plan. We were cleared to an intersection that was similar sounding and not on our flight plan. If a foreign carrier receives a clearance off flight plan the intersection should be phonetically spelled out.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR CAPT OPERATING IN RHEIN AIRSPACE DEVIATES FROM CLRED TRACK WHEN CLRED TO FIX OFF HIS RTE THAT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO A FIX ON HIS RTE.
Narrative: WHILE ENRTE WE RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM RHEIN CTL TO PROCEED DIRECT 'GORKO' AND THIS WAS WHAT WE READ BACK. GORKO WAS ABOUT 3 POINTS DOWN THE LINE ON OUR FLT PLAN. AFTER A FEW MINS THE CTLR ASKED US TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT GORKO AND WE REPLIED THAT YES; WE WERE DIRECT GORKO. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 3 OR 4 MINS HE CALLED AGAIN AND ASKED TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT G; U; L; K; A; WHICH WE REPLIED NO; WE ARE DIRECT GORKO AND THEN SPELLED IT. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED FOR GULKA WHICH WAS NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN. THE MISUNDERSTANDING CAME BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY OF THE 2 INTXN NAMES AND OUR DIFFICULTY WITH THE CTLR'S ACCENT. WE WERE BOTH POSITIVE WE HAD HEARD GORKO AND THIS WAS IN FACT ON OUR FLT PLAN. WE WERE CLRED TO AN INTXN THAT WAS SIMILAR SOUNDING AND NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN. IF A FOREIGN CARRIER RECEIVES A CLRNC OFF FLT PLAN THE INTXN SHOULD BE PHONETICALLY SPELLED OUT.
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.