A LR35 pilot reports departing mdw with a clearance that included lewke intersection. A similar soun...

Attributes
ACN	751150
Time
Date	200708
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : mdw4
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 95 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	751150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

I contacted midway clearance delivery on the ground and was given a full route clearance with routing that was 'cleared to cincinatti; lunken field via the midway four departure; lewke; gipper; gipper 97 degree radial; 36 DME fix; direct fort wayne...' I asked tower if I could pull off to the side for a minute at the end of the runway to load the routing; which was approved. This is where the confusion started. I have received many clearances from midway airport that included the lukey intersection; so I was familiar with the spelling of that nearby intersection. In previous flights I have always been given direct destination before actually flying to lukey. As I punched lukey into the flight plan; it seemed a little odd to be headed south then east; but the whole routing seemed strange so I didn't really question it. After takeoff we were given heading 090; then direct lewke. I punched the navigation mode; which was set for lukey. As we turned toward the southeast; the other pilot questioned the heading to me. I asked departure for a heading while we straighten it all out; which the controller did. We found lewke on the chart; reset the flight plan; and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Our flight didn't really deviate from the assigned routing; it was just a moment of confusion. The pilot in the right seat had found lewke on the chart before takeoff; and even spelled it to me. But at that point I had already entered it incorrectly; and didn't notice that he spelled it differently than I had. This could have all been avoided by more careful study of the flight plan; but it didn't occur to me that there would be two lukey's in close proximity to midway. Lukey is 72 miles south-west of midway; and lewke is 31 miles east. In my opinion having two fixes that sound identical in the same area is setting the stage for confusion; which could be a safety issue in the busy airspace surrounding chicago.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LR35 PILOT REPORTS DEPARTING MDW WITH A CLRNC THAT INCLUDED LEWKE INTXN. A SIMILAR SOUNDING NEARBY INTXN LUKEY WAS ENTERED IN THE FMS; AND THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: I CONTACTED MIDWAY CLEARANCE DELIVERY ON THE GROUND AND WAS GIVEN A FULL ROUTE CLEARANCE WITH ROUTING THAT WAS 'CLEARED TO CINCINATTI; LUNKEN FIELD VIA THE MIDWAY FOUR DEPARTURE; LEWKE; GIPPER; GIPPER 97 DEGREE RADIAL; 36 DME FIX; DIRECT FORT WAYNE...' I ASKED TOWER IF I COULD PULL OFF TO THE SIDE FOR A MINUTE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO LOAD THE ROUTING; WHICH WAS APPROVED. THIS IS WHERE THE CONFUSION STARTED. I HAVE RECEIVED MANY CLEARANCES FROM MIDWAY AIRPORT THAT INCLUDED THE LUKEY INTERSECTION; SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE SPELLING OF THAT NEARBY INTERSECTION. IN PREVIOUS FLIGHTS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN DIRECT DESTINATION BEFORE ACTUALLY FLYING TO LUKEY. AS I PUNCHED LUKEY INTO THE FLIGHT PLAN; IT SEEMED A LITTLE ODD TO BE HEADED SOUTH THEN EAST; BUT THE WHOLE ROUTING SEEMED STRANGE SO I DIDN'T REALLY QUESTION IT. AFTER TAKEOFF WE WERE GIVEN HEADING 090; THEN DIRECT LEWKE. I PUNCHED THE NAV MODE; WHICH WAS SET FOR LUKEY. AS WE TURNED TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST; THE OTHER PILOT QUESTIONED THE HEADING TO ME. I ASKED DEPARTURE FOR A HEADING WHILE WE STRAIGHTEN IT ALL OUT; WHICH THE CONTROLLER DID. WE FOUND LEWKE ON THE CHART; RESET THE FLIGHT PLAN; AND THE REST OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. OUR FLIGHT DIDN'T REALLY DEVIATE FROM THE ASSIGNED ROUTING; IT WAS JUST A MOMENT OF CONFUSION. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT HAD FOUND LEWKE ON THE CHART BEFORE TAKEOFF; AND EVEN SPELLED IT TO ME. BUT AT THAT POINT I HAD ALREADY ENTERED IT INCORRECTLY; AND DIDN'T NOTICE THAT HE SPELLED IT DIFFERENTLY THAN I HAD. THIS COULD HAVE ALL BEEN AVOIDED BY MORE CAREFUL STUDY OF THE FLIGHT PLAN; BUT IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME THAT THERE WOULD BE TWO LUKEY'S IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MIDWAY. LUKEY IS 72 MILES SOUTH-WEST OF MIDWAY; AND LEWKE IS 31 MILES EAST. IN MY OPINION HAVING TWO FIXES THAT SOUND IDENTICAL IN THE SAME AREA IS SETTING THE STAGE FOR CONFUSION; WHICH COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE BUSY AIRSPACE SURROUNDING CHICAGO.

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.

A LR35 pilot reports departing mdw with a clearance that included lewke intersection. A similar sounding nearby intersection lukey was entered in the FMS; and the flight experienced a track deviation.