Narrative:

The following duplication was made clear to management at ZFW upon the implementation of the RNAV departures; but my complaint was dismissed. We were recently briefed on the safety notice on kirst/krist; so I decided to report this potential problem. There is an intersection called 'owwls' (305000/961580) on the RIICE1 STAR. This STAR feeds into iah (and related airports) from the north-west; including departures from and overflights from over the dfw terminal area. There is a waypoint named 'owlls' on the ARDIA3; DARTZ2; JASPA2; and NELYN2 RNAV departures from dfw that is the turn point to the north-east of dfw for departures taking off north and going south off the east (or busier) side of the dfw airport. This includes the departure assigned to aircraft going from dfw to iah; cxo; and dwh (DARTZ2). This would mean that a slight spelling error on departure programming (owwls for owlls) would result in a sharp turn of about 160 degrees shortly after takeoff; a turn directly into the downwind feed point for dfw at an altitude not conducive to safety...and an error after that point (owlls for owwls) would cause a 180 degree turn on a departure into the face of following traffic. You can see the potential for a problem right there. Also aircraft from north of the dfw area heading to cve for the RIICE1 cve transition might be cleared to owwls. If this happens; and they enter owlls; the general direction of flight will appear correct at first; giving neither to pilots nor ATC any indication of the error having been made.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CONTROLLER REPORTS SIMILAR SOUNDING AND SIMILAR SPELLING OF TWO INTERSECTIONS IN ZFW AIRSPACE. OWWLS AND OWLLS.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING DUPLICATION WAS MADE CLEAR TO MANAGEMENT AT ZFW UPON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RNAV DEPARTURES; BUT MY COMPLAINT WAS DISMISSED. WE WERE RECENTLY BRIEFED ON THE SAFETY NOTICE ON KIRST/KRIST; SO I DECIDED TO REPORT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. THERE IS AN INTERSECTION CALLED 'OWWLS' (305000/961580) ON THE RIICE1 STAR. THIS STAR FEEDS INTO IAH (AND RELATED AIRPORTS) FROM THE NORTH-WEST; INCLUDING DEPARTURES FROM AND OVERFLIGHTS FROM OVER THE DFW TERMINAL AREA. THERE IS A WAYPOINT NAMED 'OWLLS' ON THE ARDIA3; DARTZ2; JASPA2; AND NELYN2 RNAV DEPARTURES FROM DFW THAT IS THE TURN POINT TO THE NORTH-EAST OF DFW FOR DEPARTURES TAKING OFF NORTH AND GOING SOUTH OFF THE EAST (OR BUSIER) SIDE OF THE DFW AIRPORT. THIS INCLUDES THE DEPARTURE ASSIGNED TO AIRCRAFT GOING FROM DFW TO IAH; CXO; AND DWH (DARTZ2). THIS WOULD MEAN THAT A SLIGHT SPELLING ERROR ON DEPARTURE PROGRAMMING (OWWLS FOR OWLLS) WOULD RESULT IN A SHARP TURN OF ABOUT 160 DEGREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF; A TURN DIRECTLY INTO THE DOWNWIND FEED POINT FOR DFW AT AN ALTITUDE NOT CONDUCIVE TO SAFETY...AND AN ERROR AFTER THAT POINT (OWLLS FOR OWWLS) WOULD CAUSE A 180 DEGREE TURN ON A DEPARTURE INTO THE FACE OF FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. YOU CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL FOR A PROBLEM RIGHT THERE. ALSO AIRCRAFT FROM NORTH OF THE DFW AREA HEADING TO CVE FOR THE RIICE1 CVE TRANSITION MIGHT BE CLEARED TO OWWLS. IF THIS HAPPENS; AND THEY ENTER OWLLS; THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF FLIGHT WILL APPEAR CORRECT AT FIRST; GIVING NEITHER TO PILOTS NOR ATC ANY INDICATION OF THE ERROR HAVING BEEN MADE.

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.