B757 flight crew reports momentarily confusing waypoint dufee with duffe during departure from ord.

Attributes
ACN	767427
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : ord
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	767427
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Climb out from ord C90 assigned direct 'dufee;' I inadvertently and without verifying the waypoint with the PF; enter 'duffe' into the FMC while attempting to analyze a 'rudder ratio' EICAS message and read the irregular procedure. First officer immediately recognized something was wrong with the magenta line and queried ATC advising ATC that the waypoint was showing as behind us. First officer; the PF; remained on the previously assigned easterly heading; discovered my typo; entered in the correct waypoint spelled 'dufee;' verified the entry with me the PNF and executed the FMC. Allowing myself to become preoccupied with the irregular procedure rendered me ineffective as the PNF and resulted in first officer briefly flying solo. Although the aircraft never turned until the correct waypoint was verified and entered; C90 requested me to call and explain the incident. First officer; who earned his wings this flight; called and explained my typo to C90 and they seemed to be satisfied. I am grateful first officer was alert; proactive; and flying with me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW REPORTS MOMENTARILY CONFUSING WAYPOINT DUFEE WITH DUFFE DURING DEPARTURE FROM ORD.

Narrative: CLBOUT FROM ORD C90 ASSIGNED DIRECT 'DUFEE;' I INADVERTENTLY AND WITHOUT VERIFYING THE WAYPOINT WITH THE PF; ENTER 'DUFFE' INTO THE FMC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ANALYZE A 'RUDDER RATIO' EICAS MESSAGE AND READ THE IRREGULAR PROC. FO IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE MAGENTA LINE AND QUERIED ATC ADVISING ATC THAT THE WAYPOINT WAS SHOWING AS BEHIND US. FO; THE PF; REMAINED ON THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED EASTERLY HDG; DISCOVERED MY TYPO; ENTERED IN THE CORRECT WAYPOINT SPELLED 'DUFEE;' VERIFIED THE ENTRY WITH ME THE PNF AND EXECUTED THE FMC. ALLOWING MYSELF TO BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE IRREGULAR PROC RENDERED ME INEFFECTIVE AS THE PNF AND RESULTED IN FO BRIEFLY FLYING SOLO. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT NEVER TURNED UNTIL THE CORRECT WAYPOINT WAS VERIFIED AND ENTERED; C90 REQUESTED ME TO CALL AND EXPLAIN THE INCIDENT. FO; WHO EARNED HIS WINGS THIS FLT; CALLED AND EXPLAINED MY TYPO TO C90 AND THEY SEEMED TO BE SATISFIED. I AM GRATEFUL FO WAS ALERT; PROACTIVE; AND FLYING WITH ME.

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.